title: Activation and desensitization of heteromeric neuronal nicotinic receptors: implications for non-synaptic transmission.
abstract: Consideration of the activation and desensitization properties of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) predicts that there should be a range of concentrations over which low ambient levels of agonist can continuously open nAChR channels. These findings support the idea that postsynaptic nAChRs may participate in unconventional cellular signaling mediated by the release of acetylcholine from diffusely distributed non-synaptic cholinergic varicosities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1719 Sixth Avenue South, Birmingham AL 35294, USA. rlester@nrc.uab.edu
authors.forename: Robin A J
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lester
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002794:Choline / Q000494:pharmacology; D019262:Habenula / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C403530:nicotinic receptor alpha3beta4; D009538:Nicotine; D002794:Choline; D002118:Calcium