Vesicular Neurotransmitter Transporters: An Approach for Studying Transporters With Purified Proteins

摘要

Vesicular storage and subsequent release of neurotransmitters are the key processes of chemical signal transmission. In this process, vesicular neurotransmitter transporters are responsible for loading the signaling molecules. The use of a "clean biochemical" approach with purified, recombinant transporters has helped in the identification of novel vesicular neurotransmitter transporters and in the analysis of the control of signal transmission. Chemical transmission plays a central role in intercellular communications (18, 84). In neurons, neurotransmitters are accumulated in synaptic vesicles and released upon Ca~(2+)-dependent exo-cytosis. The released neurotransmitters bind to specific receptors on the plasma membrane of target cells and thereby transmit a signal. Vesicular neurotransmitter transporters are responsible for the accumulation of neurotransmitters in synaptic vesicles, and, hence, they are an essential component of chemical transmission (FIGURE 1).