why can't dopamine get into the brain?
explain in terms of structure and any other information related if you know thanks
2006-12-11 18:49:26 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Structurally, DOPA is almost identical to tyrosine--it just has one extra hydroxyl group in the meta position. So it can pass the blood-brain barrier using the same "large neutral amino acid transporter". Actually I think there's more than one--regardless, they are responsible for transport of Leu, Ile, Val, Phe, Tyr, Trp, Met, and His past the blood-brain barrier. I don't know how the transporter recognizes its substrate exactly, but seeing as it (1) won't transport dopamine, (2) is specific for amino acids, and (3) transports several amino acids with very different side chains; I would hazard a guess that a lot of the discrimination occurs at the carboxyl and amine groups attached to the alpha-carbon. Dopamine doesn't have a carboxyl group (that's the difference between dopamine and DOPA) so that is probably what prevents it from using the transporter.
2006-12-13 10:00:41 · answer #1 · answered by grimmyTea 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dopamine Blood Brain Barrier
2016-11-04 23:41:52 · answer #2 · answered by sharona 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dopamine can't get past the blood-brain barrier, but DOPA can. it's all in permiability of the membrane and that is the pickiest of all
2006-12-12 03:53:58 · answer #3 · answered by shiara_blade 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Was curious on the answer to this as well
2016-08-08 21:24:10 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋