Serotonin System
Serotonin System - Related Videos
01:23
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists
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2024
Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...
07:27
Two-photon Imaging of Microglial Processes' Attraction Toward ATP or Serotonin in Acute Brain Slices
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Cited by 22 •
2019
Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, respond quickly with morphological changes to modifications of their environment. This protocol describes how to use two-photon microscopy to study the attraction of microglial processes toward serotonin or ATP in acute brain slices of mice.
12:21
Thermostabilization, Expression, Purification, and Crystallization of the Human Serotonin Transporter Bound to S-citalopram
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Cited by 15 •
2016
This manuscript describes how to screen for thermostabilizing mutations, purify the human serotonin transporter, generate high affinity antibodies, and crystallize the serotonin transporter-antibody complex bound to the antidepressant drug S-citalopram. This protocol can be adapted to the study of other challenging membrane transporters, receptors, and channels.
08:49
Rapid In Situ Hybridization using Oligonucleotide Probes on Paraformaldehyde-prefixed Brain of Rats with Serotonin Syndrome
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Cited by 2 •
2015
This protocol describes a rapid and simplified in situ hybridization method ideal forparaformaldehyde-prefixed brain, thus reducing the need for prolonged complex steps while using fresh frozen tissues. The method is validated using the identification of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor gene htr2a in rats.
11:27
The Use of Pharmacological-challenge fMRI in Pre-clinical Research: Application to the 5-HT System
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Cited by 9 •
2012
The goal of this technique is to assess serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmitter function in the live and free-breathing animal with pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) and an intravenous challenge with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), fluoxetine.
FAQs
Serotonin signaling follows a sequence that begins with synthesis from tryptophan in specialized cells. These cells release serotonin, allowing it to bind receptors on responsive cells in the nervous system and elsewhere in the body. The receptor interaction converts the chemical signal into cellular communication, linking serotonin activity to diverse physiological effects.
Different receptor types allow serotonin to produce varied effects rather than one uniform response. Receptor diversity helps explain how the same signaling molecule can influence mood, sleep, appetite, pain processing, gastrointestinal motility, and platelet function. It also gives medical research distinct molecular targets for examining therapeutic effects and adverse reactions.
Serotonin signaling is limited mainly through two processes: reuptake and enzymatic breakdown. Reuptake removes serotonin from the signaling environment, while enzymes chemically break it down. Together, these mechanisms help determine how long serotonin remains available to interact with receptors, making transporters and breakdown pathways important subjects in medical research.
The serotonin system operates across the nervous system and body, so its effects are not restricted to mood or behavior. Its signaling is also associated with gastrointestinal motility and platelet function, alongside sleep, appetite, and pain processing. This broad distribution helps explain why medical investigations consider both neurological and peripheral outcomes when studying serotonin-related conditions.
Medical research targets serotonin receptors and transporters to clarify how changes in signaling produce therapeutic effects. These targets provide different points for examining receptor responses, serotonin availability, and signal termination. Such work supports investigation of treatments for depression, anxiety, migraine, nausea, and functional gastrointestinal disorders while also helping characterize unwanted reactions.
Serotonin-related research addresses a broad group of conditions, including depression, anxiety, migraine, nausea, and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Researchers examine receptors and transporters to connect molecular signaling with clinical effects in these conditions. The same investigations can also help explain why an intervention produces benefit in one physiological pathway while contributing to adverse reactions elsewhere.