Pre-neuronal acetylcholine: Non-neuronal cholinergic cells communicate to sensory neurons

Abstract

Acetylcholine, the first identified neurotransmitter, is particularly abundant in the peripheral nervous system, being the primary neurotransmitter of α-motoneurons, all preganglionic autonomic and many, mostly parasympathetic, postganglionic autonomic neurons. Later on, it has been realized that many non-neuronal cells, in particular epithelial cells and cells of the immune system, also utilize acetylcholine as an autocrine and paracrine signalling molecule (“non-neuronal cholinergic system”), and is considered to be evolutionarily older than cholinergic neurotransmission.