ABSTRACT
For decades, neurotransmitters have traditionally been viewed as nerve-secreted molecules which interact primarily with specific receptors expressed on cells of the nervous system (peripheral and central). Accordingly, the study of neurotransmitter function has been considered of primary importance for the understanding of synaptic transmission and of neuronal development and function. As stated in an authoritative neuroscience textbook: ‘‘The identification of neurotransmitters mediating synaptic interactions in the brain and spinal cord is of fundamental importance for understanding the function of the nervous system.’’ This chapter will present a collection of evidence calling for a reassessment of the traditional view and suggesting that neurotransmitters may be as important for the immune system as they are for the nervous system.
