during the past few years increasing interest has been
focused on the role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
outside the central nervous systems (CNS).Biochemical,
pharmacological, histochemical, physiological approaches
have all been employed to investigate the role of GABA in
themammalian periphery. The International Symposium on
Peripheral GABAergic Mechanism held in Rome, July 1990, was
devoted to gather scientists from allover the world in
order to summarize and sythesize their most recent results
and conceptions on the significance of GABA outside the
CNS. Written in a thought-provoking style, this proceedings
volume is an overviewof the timely knowledge about GABA in
the peripheral nervous system and in non-neuronal tissues.
Chapters of the book provide many examples for the diverse
functions of this amino acid in the periphery as
neurotransmitter, hormone, humoral or even trophic factor
from the autonomic ganglia to the endocrine stomach and
pancreas, from the tubular epithelium of the kidney to the
spermatozoa.