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Related Concept Videos

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis01:29

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis

Drugs affecting neurotransmitter synthesis can impact the adrenergic neuron and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. For example, α-methyltyrosine and carbidopa target specific enzymes involved in catecholamine synthesis. α-methyltyrosine inhibits the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, which converts tyrosine into dopamine. By blocking this enzyme, α-methyltyrosine reduces dopamine production and other catecholamines. Carbidopa, on the other hand, inhibits the enzyme dopa decarboxylase, which converts...
Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission01:27

Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission

Postganglionic sympathetic fibers (except those supplying the sweat glands) releasing noradrenaline or norepinephrine are called noradrenergic or adrenergic neurons. Noradrenaline, dopamine, adrenaline, or epinephrine are collectively called "catecholamines" as they contain a catechol moiety and an amine side chain. The five stages of neurotransmitter release involve their synthesis, storage, release, reuptake and metabolism.
Synthesis: Catecholamine synthesis requires tyrosine, which is taken...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake01:21

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents01:25

Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents

Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists potentiate the effects of endogenous catecholamines through different mechanisms without directly binding to adrenoceptors.
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action01:26

Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action

Neurochemical transmission, the conduction of electrical impulses between neurons mediated by neurotransmitters, plays a vital role in various physiological processes. Autonomic drugs exert their effects by modulating neurotransmission within the autonomic nervous system. For instance, drugs such as hemicholinium block the precursor uptake necessary for synthesizing acetylcholine, an essential autonomic neurotransmitter. Following synthesis, neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles. Metyrosine...
Cholinergic Neurons: Neurotransmission01:23

Cholinergic Neurons: Neurotransmission

Cholinergic neurotransmission involves the synthesis and the release of acetylcholine (ACh) in order to transmit nerve impulses across the synapse. The process begins with the synthesis of acetyl CoA, a precursor for ACh, from ATP, acetate, and coenzyme A in the mitochondria. Choline, another vital precursor, is transported inside the neuron through choline transporters, including high-affinity choline transporter CHT1, low-affinity choline transporter CTL1, and lower-affinity choline...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Comprehensive Profiling of Dopamine Regulation in Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area
09:54

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Published on: August 10, 2012

Catecholamines up integrates dopamine synthesis and synaptic trafficking.

Zhe Wang1, Faiza Ferdousy, Hakeem Lawal

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA.

Journal of Neurochemistry
|October 12, 2011
PubMed
Summary

The Catecholamines up (Catsup) protein regulates dopamine synthesis and transport. Loss-of-function mutations in Catsup lead to elevated dopamine levels and increased resistance to oxidative stress in neurons.

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Last Updated: May 28, 2026

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09:54

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Published on: August 10, 2012

A Plate-Based Assay for the Measurement of Endogenous Monoamine Release in Acute Brain Slices
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Assessment of Dopaminergic Homeostasis in Mice by Use of High-performance Liquid Chromatography Analysis and Synaptosomal Dopamine Uptake
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Published on: September 21, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Dopaminergic neurons are susceptible to oxidative damage due to dopamine's reactivity.
  • Loss-of-function mutations in Drosophila's Catecholamines up (Catsup) gene paradoxically increase dopamine levels and confer resistance to oxidative stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the novel association of the membrane protein Catsup with enzymes involved in dopamine biosynthesis.
  • To elucidate the regulatory role of Catsup in dopamine synthesis and synaptic vesicle loading.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic analysis of Drosophila melanogaster.
  • Biochemical assays to assess enzyme activity.
  • Behavioral analysis of mutant Drosophila.

Main Results:

  • Catsup was found to associate with GTP cyclohydrolase and tyrosine hydroxylase, key enzymes in tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) and dopamine biosynthesis, respectively.
  • Loss-of-function Catsup mutations resulted in dominant hyperactivation of both enzymes, leading to elevated dopamine levels.
  • Catsup mutants exhibited hypermobility, altered dopamine metabolite levels, and resistance to reserpine, indicating active synaptic dopamine and impaired vesicle loading.

Conclusions:

  • Catsup plays a crucial role in regulating and integrating dopamine synthesis and transport networks.
  • The findings suggest Catsup is a key modulator of dopaminergic neuron function and resilience to oxidative stress.