title: 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) membrane transport: history and outlook.
abstract: Only a few studies have addressed the transport of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), a naturally occurring agonist for cannabinoid receptors. Based upon saturation kinetics, these early reports have proposed that 2-AG enters the cell by a specific 2-AG transporter, via the putative anandamide transporter, or by simple diffusion. In this review, the uptake of 2-AG is discussed in light of the recent advances that have been made for anandamide transport, where the mechanism appears to be rate-limited diffusion through the membrane. Endocannabinoids may be a distinct class of agonists since they are hydrophobic and neutral, exhibiting similar biophysical properties to some anesthetics that freely diffuse through the membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11795-5215, USA.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaczocha
authors.forename: Dale G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Deutsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001692:Biological Transport; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D002186:Cannabinoids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate