Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

G Protein-coupled Receptors01:15

G Protein-coupled Receptors

G Protein-Coupled Receptors or GPCRs are membrane-bound receptors that transiently associate with heterotrimeric G proteins and induce an appropriate response to sensory stimuli such as light, odors, hormones, cytokines, or neurotransmitters.
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or serpentine receptors, and consist of seven (H1-H7) transmembrane alpha-helices that span the bilayer to form a cylindrical core. The transmembrane helices are connected by three extracellular loops and three...
G Protein-coupled Receptors01:15

G Protein-coupled Receptors

G Protein-Coupled Receptors or GPCRs are membrane-bound receptors that transiently associate with heterotrimeric G proteins and induce an appropriate response to sensory stimuli such as light, odors, hormones, cytokines, or neurotransmitters.
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or serpentine receptors, and consist of seven (H1-H7) transmembrane alpha-helices that span the bilayer to form a cylindrical core. The transmembrane helices are connected by three extracellular loops and three...
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Signal Transduction: Overview01:26

Signal Transduction: Overview

Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway01:11

IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway

Membrane lipids such as phosphatidylinositol (PI) are precursors for several membrane-bound and soluble second messengers. Specific kinases phosphorylate PI and produce phosphorylated inositol phospholipids. One such inositol phospholipids are the  phosphatidylinositol-4,5 bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2], present in the inner half of the lipid bilayer. Upon ligand binding, GPCR stimulates Gq proteins to turn on phospholipase Cꞵ. Activated phospholipase Cꞵ cleaves PI(4,5)P2 and produces two-second...
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2025/26: G protein-coupled receptors.

British journal of pharmacology·2025
Same author

Two Distinct P2Y Receptors Are Involved in Purine- and Pyrimidine-Evoked Ca<sup>2+</sup> Elevation in Mammalian Brain Astrocytic Cultures.

Drug development research·2024
Same author

The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2023/24: G protein-coupled receptors.

British journal of pharmacology·2023
Same author

THE CONCISE GUIDE TO PHARMACOLOGY 2021/22: G protein-coupled receptors.

British journal of pharmacology·2021
Same author

Transient expression of thyrotropin releasing hormone peptide and mRNA in the rat hippocampus following global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The International journal of neuroscience·2020
Same author

Purinergic Signaling and Related Biomarkers in Depression.

Brain sciences·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Real-time Live-cell Flow Cytometry to Investigate Calcium Influx, Pore Formation, and Phagocytosis by P2X7 Receptors in Adult Neural Progenitor Cells
11:47

Real-time Live-cell Flow Cytometry to Investigate Calcium Influx, Pore Formation, and Phagocytosis by P2X7 Receptors in Adult Neural Progenitor Cells

Published on: April 3, 2019

Purinergic signalling: from discovery to current developments.

Geoffrey Burnstock1

  • 1G. Burnstock: University College Medical School, Autonomic Neuroscience Centre, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, UK and Department of Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Australia. g.burnstock@ucl.ac.uk.

Experimental Physiology
|October 1, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Purinergic signaling, involving adenosine triphosphate (ATP), was identified as a key non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic neurotransmitter. This discovery revolutionized understanding of neurotransmission in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

More Related Videos

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy
12:24

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Published on: September 29, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Real-time Live-cell Flow Cytometry to Investigate Calcium Influx, Pore Formation, and Phagocytosis by P2X7 Receptors in Adult Neural Progenitor Cells
11:47

Real-time Live-cell Flow Cytometry to Investigate Calcium Influx, Pore Formation, and Phagocytosis by P2X7 Receptors in Adult Neural Progenitor Cells

Published on: April 3, 2019

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy
12:24

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Published on: September 29, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Early research suggested non-cholinergic relaxation in response to vagal nerve stimulation, but the exact mechanism was unclear.
  • Classical autonomic neurotransmitters acetylcholine and noradrenaline did not fully explain observed smooth muscle responses.
  • The concept of purinergic signaling emerged from investigations into non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic neurotransmission.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the historical development and scientific basis of the purinergic signaling concept.
  • To identify the neurotransmitter responsible for non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic neurotransmission in smooth muscle.
  • To explore the role and distribution of purinergic receptors in the nervous system.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the sucrose gap technique for simultaneous mechanical and electrical recordings in guinea-pig taenia coli.
  • Administered antagonists to acetylcholine and noradrenaline to isolate non-classical neurotransmission.
  • Assessed adenosine triphosphate (ATP) against established criteria for neurotransmitter identification.
  • Employed receptor cloning, characterization, and immunostaining techniques.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that inhibitory junction potentials were mediated by non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic neurotransmission via intrinsic enteric nerves.
  • Established adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a neurotransmitter released by these nerves.
  • Revealed that ATP functions as a cotransmitter throughout the peripheral and central nervous systems.
  • Identified widespread expression of purinergic receptors in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells.

Conclusions:

  • Purinergic signaling, mediated by ATP, is a fundamental aspect of neurotransmission.
  • ATP acts as a crucial cotransmitter in diverse neural pathways.
  • Purinergic receptors are ubiquitously expressed, highlighting the broad physiological importance of purinergic signaling.
  • The understanding of purinergic signaling has significantly advanced the fields of neuroscience and pharmacology.