Expression Changes of Dopamine Type 2 Receptor on the Surface of Human Monocytes and Lymphocytes After Exposure to Dopamine In Vitro.

Authors

Brandon Thomas Garcia, Brigham Young University
Sandra Hope, Brigham Young University
Scott Steffensen, Brigham Young University

Keywords

dopamine type 2 receptor, human monocytes, lymphocytes

College

Life Sciences

Department

Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Abstract

Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a role in several functions such as reward, motivation, and dependence. The imbalance of DA in the central nervous system (CNS) can lead to several debilitating diseases like Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, and Schizophrenia as well as drug dependence. Levels of DA in the brain are often determined by measuring the expression of Dopamine type 2 (D2) receptors by positron emission topography (PET) scans in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc). This test which is often expensive and unavailable to many people without access to hospitals or regular healthcare.

Recommended Citation

Garcia, Brandon Thomas; Hope, Sandra; and Steffensen, Scott (2017) "Expression Changes of Dopamine Type 2 Receptor on the Surface of Human Monocytes and Lymphocytes After Exposure to Dopamine In Vitro.," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2017: Iss. 1, Article 205.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2017/iss1/205