Endocannabinoid System
Endocannabinoid System - Related Videos
08:37
Identification of Orexin and Endocannabinoid Receptors in Adult Zebrafish Using Immunoperoxidase and Immunofluorescence Methods
0 Views •
Cited by 8 •
2019
Presented here are protocols for immunohistochemical characterization and localization of orexin peptide, orexin receptors, and endocannabinoid receptors in the gut and brains of normal and diet-induced obesity (DIO) adult zebrafish models using immunoperixidase and double immunofluorescence methods.
09:09
Large-Scale Production of Extracellular Vesicles from High-Density 3D Cell Cultures in Hollow Fiber Perfusion Bioreactors
0 Views •
2026
Instructions are provided for setting up and using a 3D perfusion hollow fiber bioreactor for extracellular vesicle production from MSC and other cell types. This protocol describes a method for producing extracellular vesicles at high concentrations on a continuous basis while controlling cell density in hollow fiber bioreactors.
11:08
Packaging HIV- or FIV-based Lentivector Expression Constructs & Transduction of VSV-G Pseudotyped Viral Particles
0 Views •
Cited by 15 •
2012
Lentiviral expression vectors are the most effective vehicles for stably expressing different effector molecules or reporter constructs in dividing and non-dividing mammalian cells and whole organisms. Here we provide a protocol on how to package lentivector expression constructs in pseudoviral particles and to transduce target cells using the pseudoviral particles.
07:03
In Situ Surface Temperature Measurement in a Conveyor Belt Furnace via Inline Infrared Thermography
0 Views •
Cited by 3 •
2020
This protocol describes how to install an infrared camera into a conveyor belt furnace, conduct a customer correction of a factory calibrated IR camera, and evaluate the spatial surface temperature distribution of an object of interest. The example objects are industrial silicon solar cells.
09:06
The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties
0 Views •
2020
Secondary material streams have been shown to include potential raw materials for production. Presented here is a protocol in which CDW-plastic waste as a raw material is identified, followed by various processing steps (agglomeration, extrusion). As a result, a composite material was produced, and mechanical properties were analyzed.
FAQs
When a postsynaptic neuron becomes active, it produces endocannabinoids on demand rather than storing them for routine release. These lipid messengers travel backward across the synapse and act on presynaptic cannabinoid receptors, reducing neurotransmitter release. This direction of communication allows the receiving neuron to influence the strength of incoming signals and helps regulate neural activity.
Endocannabinoid signaling depends on enzymes that synthesize the ligands and enzymes that degrade them. Synthesis makes molecules such as anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol available when neuronal activity requires them, whereas degradation removes those signals afterward. Together, these pathways help constrain the timing and persistence of receptor activation rather than leaving synaptic effects uncontrolled.
The system operates through coordinated roles: endogenous ligands carry the signal, cannabinoid receptors detect it, and metabolic enzymes regulate ligand availability. CB1 and CB2 are the principal receptor types identified in the overview, while anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are key endogenous ligands. Examining all three components gives researchers a fuller view of how signaling is initiated and terminated.
Research connects this signaling network with pain, mood, memory, appetite, and stress responses. These functions span sensory processing, emotional and cognitive states, feeding-related regulation, and adaptation to stress. Studying the system across these processes helps neuroscience researchers examine how a shared signaling framework can influence different physiological outcomes without reducing its relevance to only one behavior.
A useful investigation considers receptor types, endogenous ligands, and the enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation. Researchers can then relate these components to retrograde effects on presynaptic neurotransmitter release and to broader functions such as pain, memory, or stress responses. This component-based approach connects molecular signaling with neural communication and physiological regulation.
The system provides several research targets because its receptors and metabolic pathways can be examined separately or together. Investigators study these targets to improve understanding of neurological disease and to explore potential therapies. Findings may also clarify how altered signaling relates to functions such as mood, pain, memory, appetite, and stress, while distinguishing receptor effects from metabolic regulation.