It has been known for half a century that neurotransmitters are released in preformed quanta, that the quanta represent transmitter-storing vesicles, and that release occurs by exocytosis. The focus of this book is twofold. In the first part, the molecular events of exocytosis are analysed. This includes a discussion of presynaptic calcium channels, the core proteins of the secretory machinery, and the actions of clostridial toxins and a -latrotoxin, famous for their potency as well as their crucial role in the elucidation of the steps of exocytosis. In the book's second part, the presynaptic receptors for endogenous chemical signals are presented that make neurotransmitter release a highly regulated process. These include ligand-gated ion channels and presynaptic G-protein-coupled receptors. The targets of presynaptic receptors within the exocytosis cascade, and their therapeutic potential, are subjects addressed in the majority of chapters.

Neurotransmitter Release

Pharmacology of Neurotransmitter Release: Measuring Exocytosis
Presynaptic Calcium Channels: Structure, Regulators, and Blockers
Pharmacology of Neurotransmitter Transport into Secretory Vesicles
Core Proteins of the Secretory Machinery
Presynaptic Neurotoxins with Enzymatic Activities
?-Latrotoxin and Its Receptors
Presynaptic Signaling by Heterotrimeric G-Proteins
Presynaptic Metabotropic Receptors for Acetylcholine and Adrenaline/Noradrenaline
Presynaptic Receptors for Dopamine, Histamine, and Serotonin
Presynaptic Adenosine and P2Y Receptors
Presynaptic Metabotropic Glutamate and GABA B Receptors
Presynaptic Neuropeptide Receptors
Presynaptic Modulation by Endocannabinoids
Presynaptic lonotropic Receptors
NO/cGMP-Dependent Modulation of Synaptic Transmission
Therapeutic Use of Release-Modifying Drugs.