Health & Body - False neurotransmitters: chemical mimics shedding light on neurons

False neurotransmitters are chemical substances that closely imitate natural signaling chemicals in the nervous system. These compounds accumulate within neurons, get packaged into vesicles, and are released alongside other neurotransmitters when stimulated. The concept originated when Irwin Kopin showed that tyramine increased blood pressure through vesicle release. More recently, researchers at Columbia University created fluorescent false neurotransmitters that act as analogs for dopamine and other monoamines, enabling optical video analysis of transmitter release in living cells.

Source: Wikipedia