ATP's powerful impact on the heart and blood vessels was first described in 1929, but it was not until the 1970s that ATP was proposed as the 'purinergic' neurotransmitter in autonomic nerves. The door to this area of research was thrown open when receptors for ATP and its ectoenzymatic breakdown product adenosine were first cloned in the early 1990s. Now, rapidly accelerating research has taken scientists beyond the nervous system, to isolate receptors for purines and pyrimidines in many biological systems. Increasing evidence suggests that research into this area may lead to breakthrough...

Following many years when a great deal of attention was directed towards the intracellular roles of purines, there is expanding interest in the field of extracellular purinergic signalling. In this book we focus on the actions of purines in cardiovascular biology, where it is clear that they play major roles in both normal and pathophysiological conditions. Activation of different purinoceptor subtypes by purines can regulate cardiac contractility and electrical activity, modulate catecholamine-mediated responses both pre- and post-junctionally, trigger and mediate ischaemic preconditioning,...

Following many years when a great deal of attention was directed towards the intracellular roles of purines, there is expanding interest in the field of extracellular purinergic signalling. In this book we focus on the actions of purines in cardiovascular biology, where it is clear that they play major roles in both normal and pathophysiological conditions. Activation of different purinoceptor subtypes by purines can regulate cardiac contractility and electrical activity, modulate catecholamine-mediated responses both pre- and post-junctionally, trigger and mediate ischaemic preconditioning,...