Comparative Aspects of Neuropeptide Function

The discovery of endogenous opioid peptides in the mammalian brain has led to an explosive development of research into the structure, synthesis and functional role of neuropeptides. Partly as a consequence of new findings in this area, the concepts of neuronal function have undergone a major transformation as it is now recognized that neurons, by secreting certain neuropeptides, control the differentiation and growth of many kinds of cells, tissues and organs, and that neurohormones can initiate different kinds of behaviour. The discovery of peptide receptors in blood cells opens the area of neuroimmunology, and the discovery that haemocytes manufacture neuropeptides now adds a new dimension to our ideas about the control of brain function by the immune system. In view of the magnitude of current research in neuropeptides, this book has been written as an interdisciplinary synthesis, assessing current concepts and creating new perspectives. Unlike most other books covering specific aspects of neuropeptide structure and function, this collection of chapters provides a forum for exchange of knowledge across the whole spectrum.