Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are the members of a gene superfamily of
ionotropic that are formed by five homologous subunits oriented around a central ionic
channel. This superfamily includes, in addition to nAChRs, 5-HT3 receptors, GABAA receptors and glycine receptors, but not structurally different glutamate receptors
and purinoreceptors (see
Lindstrom, 1996
). The nAChRs are known to mediate fast synaptic transmission in centrifugal and peripheral
reflex pathways of all autonomic ganglia and plexuses. Although some recent results
suggest this function can also be fulfilled by some other receptors, e.g., P2x purinoreceptors (
Evans et al., 1992
; see for review
Galligan and Bertrand, 1994
), or 5-HT3 (serotonin) receptors (
Derkach et al., 1989
; see for review
Khakh and Henderson, 2000
), the evidence for their role in fast transmission in normal (non-cultured) ganglion
neurons is still scarce. Although nAChRs are abundantly located in the central nervous
system (CNS), most electrophysiological approaches failed to demonstrate their mediatory
role in fast synaptic transmission, except in Renshaw cells (see, however,
Zaninetti et al., 1999
,
Marrubio et al., 1999
). This peculiarity suggests that nAChRs in CNS may be involved in some forms of nonsynaptic
neurotransmission (
Vidal and Changeux, 1996
). Interestingly, most recent studies showed that, in addition to postsynaptic localization,
some nAChRs are localized on terminal buttons, and can cause a significant calcium
influx in the buttons, thus modulating the neurotransmitter release (see
Itier and Bertrand, 2001
for review).Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 30,
2001
Received in revised form:
October 30,
2001
Received:
October 25,
2001
Identification
Copyright
© 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
