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Other Cannabimimetic Lipid Signaling Molecules

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Cannabinoids and the Brain
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The endogenous lipids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) play predominant signaling roles through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and at least one transient receptor potential channel (TRP). Additional structurally similar lipid signaling molecules that have cannabinoid-like (cannabimimetic) activity in which they produce similar cellular, physiological, and behavioral phenotypes as anandamide and 2-AG have recently been discovered. Like the endogenous cannabinoids, many of the actions of these structurally similar endogenous lipids are known to occur through both GPCRs and TRPs. The cannabimimetic lipid signaling molecules of N-arachidonoyl glycine, N-arachidonoyl dopamine, N-arachidonoyl serine, the family of N-acyl ethanolamines, and 2-acyl glycerols and their roles in cellular signaling and physiology are discussed here.

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Bradshaw, H.B. (2008). Other Cannabimimetic Lipid Signaling Molecules. In: Köfalvi, A. (eds) Cannabinoids and the Brain. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74349-3_4

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