Posted by IsoM on March 26, 2002, at 4:19:21
In reply to ISO: can you verify this at least: » IsoM, posted by Janelle on March 26, 2002, at 0:54:35
In every cell in the body, there's innumerable pumps that transfer matter between the inside of a cell & the fluid outside the cell. All a pump is, is a special opening in the cell membrane that will only admit certain things through.
In the case of a serotonin reuptake pump, it's a small opening at the end of the neuron (the end that sends the neurotransmitters out). Think of it as your mouth - it's not always open. It only opens to take back the extra neurotransmitter molecules that weren't used by the receptor end & aren't doing anything - no waste. Okay so far?
Now the mind-boggling part - each of the billions of neurons in your brain has more than one sending end (the end that sends out neurotransmitters) & each of those ends have many reuptake pumps, serotonin included. Which means there's many, many billions of serotonin reuptake pumps in the brain.
So, yes, there's more than one in the brain. It's fascinating to learn, isn't it? That why I'm such a knowledge junkie.
poster:IsoM
thread:100140
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020322/msgs/100221.html