The NATO Advanced Study Institute held in the Hotel Metropole Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales from July 26th to August 4th 1981 provided an excellent platform for presentation and appraisal of our current knowledge of neurotransmitter systems. The proceed­ ings comprise the present volume and these were arranged to allow study of the pathways and the interactions of specific transmitter systems, one with another, in the various sub-regions of the central nervous system. In addition several of the key factors involved in neurotransmitter release were highlighted. These include the structural and molecular organisation of the nerve terminal, its organelles (such as vesicles, neurotubules and synaptic densities) and the mechanisms involved in neurotransmitter release including the participation of calcium. The organisation of transmitter synthesis, storage and transport were discussed together with their linkage to other streams of metabolism, and the cellular compartmentation of these processes. In addition to the principal lectures given at the Institute, many part1c1pants presented short reports for discussion and these are all included in this volume. The success of the Study Institute was due to the careful planning of the scientific programme to allow a smooth flow and integration of the topics included and this is reflected in the organisation of this book. The programme committee members were, R. Balazs (London), H. F. Bradford (London,Director), J. B. Clark (London), J. E. Cremer (MRC, Carshalton), J. S. Kelly (London), L. Lim (London), M. J. Neal (London) and P. J. Roberts (Southampton).

Inhalt

Nerve Terminal Organisation.- Nerve-Terminal Ultrastructure: A Role for Neurotubules?.- Preparation of Synaptic Junctional Structures by Phase Partitioning in the Presence of n-Octyl-Glucoside.- Molecular Composition of Synaptic Junctions and Post-Synaptic Densities: A Functional Perspective.- Using Antibodies to Probe Brain Development.- Key Factors in Neurotransmitter Synthesis and Release.- Glutamate Depolarization-Induced Release in the Cerebellum and its Regulation by GABA.- Developmental Analysis of Neurotransmitter Systems in Rabbit Retina.- Granular Vesicles of the Posterior Pituitary: A Model for Peptide Synthesis and Transport.- Calmodulin Modulation of the Calcium Signal in Synaptic Transmission.- The Study of Receptors and Ca Movements in Smooth Muscle as a Model for Presynaptic Events.- Role for Contractile Proteins in Transmitter Release?.- New Insights into Vesicle Recycling in a Model Cholinergic System.- Pharmacology of the Acetylcholine Release evoked by One or a Few Nerve Impulses at the Nerve-Electroplaque Junction of Torpedo.- The Uptake and Metabolism of Choline Analogues by Cholinergic Nerve Terminals.- Choline Uptake and Acetylcholine Release.- Neurotransmitters and Their Interactions at the Cellular Level.- In Vivo Regulation of Nigro-striatal and Mesocortico-prefrontal Dopaminergic Neurons.- Acetylcholine-Dopamine Interactions in the Corpus Striatum and Nucleus Accumbens.- Cholinergic Systems in the CNS.- Distribution and Nature of Subpopulations of Muscarinic Receptors in the CNS as Judged by Receptor Binding.- Regulation of Antagonist and Agonist Binding to the Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor by Protein Phosphorylation.- GABA Enzymes and Pathways.- GABA-Transaminase Inhibitors and Neuronal Function.- GABA Synthesis: Its Dynamics in Relation to Glutamate and Glutamine Metabolism.- Metabolic and Transmitter Compartments for Glutamate.- Glutamate and Glutamine Transport in Cultured Neuronal and Glial Cells.- Studies on Neuronal-Glial Metabolism of Glutamate in Cerebellar Slices.- Amino Acid Compartments in Hippocampus: An Autoradiographic Approach.- Transmitter Metabolism.- The Distribution and Regulation in Nerve Cells and Astrocytes of Certain Enzymes Associated with the Metabolic Compartmentation of Glutamate.- Compartmentation of the Supply of the Acetyl Moiety for Acetylcholine Synthesis.- Inter-Cell Regulation of Metabolism and Function.- Isolated Cells and Tissue Compartments.- Macromolecular Interactions Between Neurons and Peripheral Glia in Cell Culture.- Proliferation and Maturation of Neuronal Cells from the Central Nervous System in Culture.- Certain Surface Properties of Isolated and Cultured Cerebellar Cells.- Neurotransmitters in Sub-Systems of the Brain.- Immunocytochemical Localization of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Transaminase in the Cerebellum.- The Ultrastructural Localization of 5?-Nucleotidase in the Molecular Layer of the House Cerebellum.- Monosodium Glutamate (M.S.G.) Effects on Arcuate Cells at Puberty.- The Autoradiographic Localization of Baclofen-Sensitive GABAB Sites in Rat Cerebellum.- Excitatory Amino Acids in the Cerebellum: Receptor Types and Receptive Cells.- Physiological and Chemical Control of Hippocampal Neurones.- The Postsynaptic Action of a Variety of Conventional and Non-Conventional Putative Neurotransmitters on Hippocampal Neurones.- Synaptic Efficacy and Reliability in Perforant Pathway.- Gonadal Steroid Action on Brain Sexual Differentiation and Sexual Behavior.- Intracellular Compartmentation of the Oestrogen Receptor in the Female Rat Hypothalamus.- Vasopressin and Oxytocin, Chemical Messengers in the Brain.- A Procedure for the Characterisation of Identified Neuronal Pathways.- Neurotransmitters in the Retina.- Functional Morphology of Retinal Neurons with Monoamine or Amino Acid Neurotransmitters.- Neuropeptides in the Vertebrate Retina.- Excitatory, Inhibitory and Peptidergic Pathways in the Mudpuppy Retina.- Transmitter Release from the Retina.- Postnatal Development of a Mammalian Retina: Neurotransmitters as Physiological and Anatomical Probes.- Cyclic Nucleotides in Retina.- Neurotransmitter-Sensitive Adenylate Cyclase in the Teleost Retina.