PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL ROLES OF PURINES - AN UPDATE

In this review article, the early history of studies of purinergic neurotransmission and of purinoceptor subclassification is described. This is followed by a survey of current knowledge of the distribution of purinoceptors and of the physiological roles of purines in the nervous system, muscle, secretory, endocrine and immune cells, as well as in spermatocytes, osteoblasts, fibroblasts, and tumour cells. Recent studies of transduction mechanisms for different purinoceptor subtypes, as well as reports of the molecular properties of encoding genes for purinoceptors, are reviewed. The evolution of purinergic mechanisms and the long-term 'trophic' actions of purines are discussed. Finally, the clinical potential of purines and related compounds for various cardiovascular and behavioural disorders, as well as for inflammation and cancer are considered.