title: Absence of decarboxylation of some aromatic-L-amino acids by cultured astrocytes.
abstract: The addition of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, L-5-hydroxytryptophan or m-tyrosine to cultured isolated astrocytes does not elicit the synthesis of either dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine or m-tyramine, respectively. In contrast, the astrocytes show ability to take up and store dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine that are in turn respectively metabolized to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid or 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. These findings suggest that astroglial cell cultures lack aromatic-L-amino acid decarboxylase and give further evidence that these cells contain monoamine oxidase.
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003653:Decarboxylation; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014439:Tyramine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D012701:Serotonin; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; C028169:3-tyramine; D004298:Dopamine; D014439:Tyramine