title: Purinergic signalling: pathophysiological roles.
abstract: In this review, after a summary of the history and current status of the receptors involved in purinergic signalling, we focus on the distribution and physiological roles of purines and pyrimidines in both short-term events such as neurotransmission, exocrine and endocrine secretion and regulation of immune cell function, and long-term events such as cell growth, differentiation and proliferation in development and regeneration. Finally, the protective roles of nucleosides and nucleotides in events such as cancer, ischemia, wound healing, drug toxicity, inflammation and pain are explored and some suggestions made for future developments in this rapidly expanding field, with particular emphasis on the involvement of selective agonists and antagonists for purinergic receptor subtypes in therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Abbracchio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burnstock
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000502:physiology*; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
chemical_list: D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate