Release of adenosine in vivo from cat caudate nucleus

A push-pull perfusion technique was used to study the release of endogenously synthesized [3H]-adenosine from caudate nucleus in the anaesthetized cat. The spontaneous release of [3H]adenosine newly synthesized from [3H]adenine reached a steady state level 40 min after the beginning of superfusion and continued for 4 h. Potassium and veratridine increased the release of newly synthetized [3H]-adenosine. The action of veratridine was completely blocked by tetrodotoxin. We conclude that spontaneous and evoked release of adenosine occurs in the cat striatum and might potentially affect central nervous function.