Publication Date:
1980-09-05
Description:
Many types of cells methylate phospholipids using two methyltransferase enzymes that are asymmetrically distributed in membranes. As the phospholipids are successively methylated, they are translocated from the inside to the outside of the membrane. When catecholamine neurotransmitters, lectins, immunoglobulins or chemotaxic peptides bind to the cell surface, they stimulate the methyltransferase enzymes and reduce membrane viscosity. The methylation of phospholipids is coupled to Ca2+ influx and the release of arachidonic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, and prostaglandins. These closely associated biochemical changes facilitate the transmission of many signals through membranes, resulting in the generation of adenosine 3',5'-monophophate in many cell types, release of histamine in mast cells and basophils, mitogenesis in lymphocytes, and chemotaxis in neutrophils.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Hirata, F -- Axelrod, J -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 1980 Sep 5;209(4461):1082-90.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6157192" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Adrenal Medulla/metabolism
;
Animals
;
Arachidonic Acids/metabolism
;
Calcium/metabolism
;
Cell Membrane/metabolism
;
Chemotaxis, Leukocyte
;
Histamine Release
;
Lymphocyte Activation
;
*Membrane Fluidity
;
Membrane Lipids/*metabolism
;
Methylation
;
Phosphatidylcholines/metabolism
;
Phosphatidylethanolamines/metabolism
;
Phospholipids/*metabolism
;
Rats
;
Receptors, Adrenergic, beta/metabolism
;
Receptors, Drug/*physiology
;
S-Adenosylmethionine/metabolism
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
