Abstract
Increasing evidence that amino acids are involved in chemical synaptic transmission has been obtained by subjecting them to the criteria established for neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and the catecholamines. Their concentration relative to other regions of the nervous system should be high, their synthetizing enzyme(s) must show a high activity and the nerve endings should possess a selective high affinity uptake mechanism All those presynaptic characteristics would then diminish or disappear when the terminals degenerate following a lesion of the afferent neuron or axon. Further, the transmitter candidate should be released from the nerve terminals, either through the effect of high K+ concentration or drugs like veratridine, or through electrical stimulation, diffuse or, better, applied to the corresponding afferent pathway. Microiontophoretic application of the amino acid should mimic the effect of the physiological synaptic action of the transmitter on the postsynaptic element and specific antagonists should prevent this action.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Aprison, M.H., Daly, E.C., Shank, R.P., and McBride, W.J., 1976, Neurochemical evidence for glycine as a transmitter and a model for its intrasynaptosomal compartmentation, in “Metabolic Compartmentation and Neurotransmission” (S. Berl, D.D. Clarke and D. Schneider, eds.), pp. 37–63, Plenum Press, New York.
Barth, R., and Felix, D., 1974, Influence of GABA and glycine and their antagonists on inhibitory mechanisms of pigeon’s optic tectum, Brain Res. 80: 532–537.
Beart, P.M., 1976, An evaluation of L-glutamate as the transmitter released from optic nerve terminals of the pigeon, Brain Res. 110: 99–114.
Blasberg, R.G., 1968, Specificity of cerebral amino acid transport: a kinetic analysis, in “Brain Barrier Systems”, Progress in Brain Research, Vol. 29 ( A. Lajtha and D.H. Ford, eds.), pp. 245–256, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Bondy, S.C., and Purdy, J.L., 1977a, Development of neurotransmitter uptake in regions of the chick brain, Brain Res. 119: 403–416.
Bondy, S.C., and Purdy, J.L., 1977b, Putative neuro-transmitters of the avian visual pathway. Brain Res. 119: 417–426.
Cajal, S.R., 1891, Sur la fine structure du lobe optique des oiseaux et sur l’origine réelle des nerfs optiques, Int.Mschr.Anat.Physiol. 8: 337–366.
Cajal, S.R., 1899, Adiciones a nuestros trabajos sobre los centros ópticos de las aves, Rev.trimest. Microgr. 4: 77–86.
Chakrabarti, T., and Daginawala, H.F., 1976, Effect of unilateral visual deprivation and visual stimulation on the activities of glutamate decarboxylase, GABA-α ketoglutarate transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase and hexokinase of the optic lobe of the adult pigeon, J.Neurochem. 27: 273–276.
Chakrabarti, T., Dias, P.D., Roychowdhury, D., and Daginawala, H.F., 1974, Effect of unilateral visual deprivation on the activities of acetylcholinesterase, Cholinesterase and carbonic anhydrase of the optic lobe of pigeon. J.Neurochem. 22: 865–867.
Cuenod, M., Sandri, C., and Akert, K., 1970, Enlarged synaptic vesicles as an early sign of secondary degeneration in the optic nerve terminals of the pigeon, J.Cell Sci. 6: 605–613.
Cuenod, M., and Schonbach, J., 1971, Synaptic proteins and axonal flow in the pigeon visual pathway, J.Neurochem. 18: 809–816.
Cuenod, M., and Streit, P., 1978, Amino acid transmitters and local circuitry in optic tectum, in “The Neurosciences: Fourth Study Program” (F.O. Schmitt and F.G. Worden, eds.), MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. and London.
Divac, I., Fonnum, F., and Storm-Mathisen, J., 1977, High affinity uptake of glutamate in terminals of corticostriatal axons, Nature 266: 377–378.
Felix, D., and Frangi, U., 1977, Dimethoxyaporphine as an antagonist of chemical excitation in the pigeon optic tectum. Neuroscience Letters 4: 347–350.
Felix, D., and Klinzle, H., 1976, The role of proline in nervous transmission, Adv.Biochem.Psychopharm. 15: 165–173.
Henke, H., and Cuénod, M., 19 78, Uptake of L-alanine, glycine and L-serine in the pigeon central nervous system, submitted.
Henke, H., and Fonnum, F., 1976, Topographical and sub-cellular distribution of choline acetyltransferase and glutamate decarboxylase in pigeon optic tectum, J.Neurochem. 27: 387–391.
Henke, H., Schenker, T.M., and Cuénod, M., 1976a, Uptake of neurotransmitter candidates by pigeon optic tectum, J.Neurochem. 26: 125–130.
Henke, H., Schenker, T.M., and Cuénod, M. 1976b, Effects of retinal ablation on uptake of glutamate, glycine, GABA, proline and choline in pigeon tectum, J.Neurochem. 26: 131–134.
Hunt, S.P., and Kunzle, H., 1976a, Observations on the projections and intrinsic organization of the pigeon optic tectum: An autoradiographic study based on anterograde and retrograde, axonal and dendritic flow, J.Comp.Neur. 17: 153–172.
Hunt, S.P., and Kunzle, H., 1976b, Selective uptake and transport of label within three identified neuronal systems after injection of 3H-GABA into the pigeon optic tectum: An autoradiographic and Golgi study, J.Comp.Neur. 170:173–190.
Hunt, S.P., Streit, P., Kunzle, H., and Cuénod, M., 1977, Characterization of the pigeon isthmo-tectal pathway by selective uptake and retrograde movement of radioactive compounds and by Golgi-like horseradish peroxidase labeling, Brain Res. 129: 197–212.
Hunt, S.P., and Webster, K.E., 1975, The projection of the retina upon the optic tectum of the pigeon, J.Comp.Neur. 162: 433–446.
Iversen, L.L., 1971, Role of transmitter uptake mechanisms in synaptic neurotransmission, Brit.J.Pharmacol. 41: 571–591.
Karten, H.J., 1969, The organisation of the avian telencephalon and some speculations on the phylogeny of the amniote telencephalon, Ann. N.Y.Acad. Sci. 167: 164–179.
Le Fort, D., Henke, H., and Cuenod, M., 1978, Glycine specific 3H-strychine binding in the pigeon CNS, in preparation.
Logan, W.J., and Snyder, S.H., 1971, Unique high affinity uptake systems for glycine, glutamic and aspartic acids in central nervous tissue of the rat, Nature 234: 297–299.
Meier, R.E., Mihailovic, J., and Cuénod, M., 1974, Thalamic organization of the retino-thalamo-hyper- striatal pathway in the pigeon ( Columba livia ), Exp.Brain Res. 19: 351–364.
Nauta, W.J.H., and Karten, H.J., 1970. A general profile of the vertebrate brain with sidelights on the ancestry of cerebral cortex, in “The Neurosciences: 2nd Study Programme”, (F.O. Schmitt, ed.), pp. 7–26, Rockefeller University Press, New York.
Reperant, J., 1973, Nouvelles données sur les projections visuelles chez le pigeon ( Columba livia), J. Hirnforschung. 14: 151–187.
Reubi, J.C., and Cuénod, M., 1976, Release of exogenous glycine in the pigeon optic tectum during stimulation of a midbrain nucleus, Brain Res. 112: 347–361.
Schonbach, J., Schonbach, C., and Cueéod, M., 1971, Rapid phase of axoplasmic flow and synaptic proteins: An electron microscopical autoradiographic study, J. Comp. Neur. 141: 485–498.
Snyder, S.H., Yamamura, H.I., Pert, C.B., Logan, W.J., and Bennett, J.P., 1973, Neuronal uptake of neurotransmitters and their precursors in studies with ‘transmitter’ amino acids and choline, in “New Concepts in Neurotransmitter Regulation”, ( A.J. Mandell, ed.), pp. 195–222, Plenum Press, New York.
Storm-Mathisen, J., 1977, Glutamic acid and excitatory nerve endings: reduction of glutamic acid uptake after axotomy, Brain Res. 120: 379–386.
Storm-Mathisen, J., and Guldberg, H.C., 1974, 5-Hydrosytryptamine and noradrenaline in the hippocampal region: Effect of transection of afferent pathways on endogenous levels, high affinity uptake and some transmitter-related enzymes, J.Neurochem. 22: 793–803.
Streit, P., and Reubi, J.C., 1977, A new and sensitive staining method for axonally transported horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the pigeon visual system, Brain Res. 126: 530–537.
Webster, K.E., 1974. Changing concepts of the organization of the central visual pathways in birds, in “Essays on the nervous system”, (R. Bellairs, and E.G. Gray, eds.), pp. 258–298, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Yates, R.A., and Roberts, P.J., 1974, Effects of enucleation and intra-ocular colchicine on the amino acids of frog optic tectum, J. Neurochem. 23: 891–893.
Young, A.B., and Snyder, S.H., 1973, Strychnine binding associated with glycine receptors of the central nervous system, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. Vol.70, 10: 2832–2836.
Zukin, S.R., Young, A.B., and Snyder, S.H., 1975, Development of the synaptic glycine receptor in chick embryo spinal cord, Brain Res. 83: 525–530.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1978 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cuénod, M., Henke, H. (1978). Neurotransmitters in the Avian Visual System. In: Fonnum, F. (eds) Amino Acids as Chemical Transmitters. NATO Advanced Study Institutes Series, vol 16. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-4030-0_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-4030-0_17
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-4032-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-4030-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive