1. Chapter 8. Nonclassic Signaling in the Brain
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

2. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.1 The synthesis of neuropeptides in a larger precursor form allows for multiple different synthetic strategies.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

3. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.2 Localization of neuropeptidases (E) in the extracellular environment.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

4. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.3 Schematic illustration of neurotensin (NT) and neuromedin N (NMN) biosynthesis and action, from gene transcription to translation and processing in the vesicular secretory pathway to diffusion from the synaptic cleft and inactivation by a group of endopeptidases (EP) extracellularly.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

5. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.4 Outline of the different families of growth factors and cytokines in the brain.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

6. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.5 Schematic representation of a nitric oxide (NO)-containing neuron.
NO is formed from arginine by the actions of different nitric oxide synthases (NOS). NO freely diffuses across cell membranes and can thereby influence both presynaptic neurons (such as the glutamatergic presynaptic neuron in the figure) or other cells that are not directly apposed to the NOS-containing neuron; these other cells can be neurons or glia.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

7. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.6 In neurons, membrane depolarization, increased intracellular calcium, and/or stimulation of G-protein-coupled receptors induce the synthesis of the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-AG from phospholipid precursors located in the plasma membrane.
(A) Endocannabinoids can bind CB1 and CB2 receptors. Anandamide can also bind, although with lower affinity, TRPV1 receptors. Endocannabinoids are cleared away from their targets by a putative anandamide transporter (AT). Inside the cell, anandamide is hydrolyzed into arachidonic acid and ethanolamine by the fatty acid amidohydrolase (FAAH). (B) A diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL) and a monoacylglycerol lipase promote the hydrolysis of 2-AG into arachidonic acid and glycerol.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

8. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.7 Neurosteroid synthesis and metabolism in the brain.
While the brain can synthesize all these steroids de novo from circulating cholesterol, circulating steroids such as testosterone and progesterone can also enter the brain and be metabolized further to other steroids.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

9. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Figure 8.8 Estrogen acts in the cytoplasm to mediate signal transduction via the MAP kinase pathway.
While the nuclear estrogen receptor appears to be capable of mediating the activation of MAP kinase, it still remains controversial as to whether a true plasma-membrane-associated receptor can also mediate the estrogenic effects.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved