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serotonin

Tuesday 4 May 2004

- Serotonin is a preformed vasoactive amine with actions similar to those of histamine.

- Serotonin is present in platelets, in enterochromaffin cells, and in mast cells (mastocytes) in rodents but not humans.

- Release of serotonin, with histamine, from platelets is stimulated when platelets aggregate after contact with collagen, thrombin, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and antigen-antibody complexes. Platelet aggregation and release are also stimulated by platelet activating factors (PAF) derived from mast cells during IgE-mediated reactions. In this way, theplatelet release reaction results in increased permeability during immunologic reactions.

See also

- serotonin syndrome

References

- Boyer EW, Shannon M. The serotonin syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2005 Mar 17;352(11):1112-20. PMID: 15784664

- Cote F, Fligny C, Fromes Y, Mallet J, Vodjdani G. Recent advances in understanding serotonin regulation of cardiovascular function. Trends Mol Med. 2004 May 1;10(5):232-238. PMID: 15121050

- Richter DW, Manzke T, Wilken B, Ponimaskin E. Serotonin receptors: guardians of stable breathing. Trends Mol Med. 2003 Dec;9(12):542-8. PMID: 14659469