Abstract
IN addition to its diverse functions inside cells, ATP can act at several types of cell-surface receptor1–3. One of these (P2x-purinoceptor) is believed to be a ligand-gated cation channel1–6. The presence of P2x receptors on autonomic, sensory and central neurons suggests that ATP might be released to act as a fast excitatory synaptic transmitter. Here we record excitatory synaptic potentials and currents from cultured coeliac ganglion neurons which are mimicked by ATP, blocked by the P2-purinoceptor antagonist suramin, desensitized by α,β-methylene-ATP and unaffected by antagonists acting at nicotine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), non-NMDA glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), noradrenaline or adenosine receptors. We conclude that ATP is the neurotransmitter at this neuro–neuronal synapse.
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Evans, R., Derkach, V. & Surprenant, A. ATP mediates fast synaptic transmission in mammalian neurons. Nature 357, 503–505 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/357503a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/357503a0
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