Where Are Monoamines Produced

Although traditionally it is believed that in mammalian spinal cord, monoamine neurotransmitters mainly originate from the brain, accumulating evidence indicates that especially when the spinal cord is injured, they can also be produced in the spinal cord.

How are monoamines synthesized?

All monoamine (MA) neurotransmitters are synthesized from amino acids through a series of enzyme catalyzed reactions in which hydroxylation, decarboxylation and/or methylation convert the precursor amino acid into the active monoamine neurotransmitter.

Where are neurotransmitters stored and produced?

Neurotransmitters are synthesized by neurons and are stored in vesicles, which typically are located in the axon’s terminal end, also known as the presynaptic terminal. The presynaptic terminal is separated from the neuron or muscle or gland cell onto which it impinges by a gap called the synaptic cleft.