Secretion of proteins (chromogranin A and dopamine β-hydroxylase) from a sympathetic neuron

Abstract

Biochemical studies on adrenal chromaffin granules have shown that these particles contain specific soluble proteins, the chromogranins, (see Kirshner & Kirshner 1971) and specific membrane proteins, the chromomembrins (see Winkler 1971). Although the functions of the main components of the chromogranins are not known, the ability to identify these proteins by biochemical and immunochemical methods led directly to the discovery of the release of chromogranins upon stimulation of the adrenal medulla (for reviews see Kirshner & Kirshner 1971; Smith & Winkler 1971) and to the identification of two of these proteins (chromogranin A and dopamine β-hydroxylase) in sympathetic nerves (see Livett, Geffen & Rush 1971).