[Catecholaminergic neurons of mammalian brain and neuromelanin]

Brain catecholaminergic neurons belong to the most extensively studied populations of nerve cells. Presence of a pigment neuromelanin in their cytoplasm is a specific morphological feature of these neurons in many mammalian species. Elucidation of the role of neuromelanin is of importance for comparative neurobiology, as it is absent in neurons of another neurotransmitter systems and, moreover, even in catecholaminergic neurons of some laboratory animals, which limits the possibility of experimental verification of existing hypotheses of its functions under physiological and pathological conditions. For recent years, neuromelanin is an object of particular interest in the scientific community involved in research of neurotoxicity and modeling the Parkinson's disease. The present review summarizes and analyzes new data on the structure and functions of neuromelanin and its probable role in pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is discussed.