[H-3] ADENOSINE TRANSPORT IN RAT DORSAL BRAIN-STEM USING A CRUDE SYNAPTOSOMAL PREPARATION

Abstract

The neuromodulator adenosine, has been shown to have the highest density of central uptake sites in the nucleus tractus solitarius in the dorsal brain stem. The nucleus tractus solitarius is involved in the central regulation of reflex cardiovascular activity suggesting that adenosine may also be involved in central cardiovascular control. Thus, the present study has characterized the transport of [3H]adenosine into rat dorsal brain stem synaptosomes. The process was found to be saturable and highly dependent on temperature. Furthermore, [3H]adenosine transport in rat dorsal brain stem synaptosomes was far more sensitive to the removal of sodium ions than has been previously reported for rat..