DEPOLARIZING STIMULI AND THE RELEASE OF PHYSIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE AMINO ACIDS FROM SUSPENSIONS OF MAMMALIAN SYNAPTOSOMES

Abstract

Abstract —Potassium causes increased metabolism and release of physiologically active amino acids from suspensions of mammalian synaptosomes. Sheep and rat hypothalamic synaptosomes, and rabbit, sheep and rat cortical synaptosomes show respiratory and glycolytic response to electrical stimulation and show a parallel calcium‐dependent differential release of physiologically active amino acids. Attempts were made to eliminate the actions of heating and electrode products as the agents causing the observed effects and the case is made that depolarization is the trigger mechanism.