Editing Neurotransmitter (section)

===Synthesis===

Neurotransmitters are generally synthesized in neurons and are made up of, or derived from, precursor molecules that are found abundantly in the cell. Classes of neurotransmitters include [[amino acid]]s, [[monoamines]], and [[peptide]]s. Monoamines are synthesized by altering a single amino acid. For example, the precursor of serotonin is the amino acid tryptophan. Peptide neurotransmitters, or [[neuropeptide]]s, are protein transmitters which are larger than the classical small-molecule neurotransmitters and are often released together to elicit a modulatory effect.<ref>{{Cite book | vauthors = Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, Katz LC, LaMantia AS, McNamara JO, Williams SM |date=2001| chapter = Peptide Neurotransmitters | chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10873/ | title = Neuroscience |publisher=Sinauer Associates | edition = 2nd }}</ref> Purine neurotransmitters, like [[Adenosine triphosphate|ATP]], are derived from nucleic acids. Metabolic products such as [[nitric oxide]] and [[carbon monoxide]] have also been reported to act like neurotransmitters.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Xue |first1=L. |last2=Farrugia |first2=G. |last3=Miller |first3=S. M. |last4=Ferris |first4=C. D. |last5=Snyder |first5=S. H. |last6=Szurszewski |first6=J. H. |date=2000-02-15 |title=Carbon monoxide and nitric oxide as coneurotransmitters in the enteric nervous system: Evidence from genomic deletion of biosynthetic enzymes |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=97 |issue=4 |pages=1851–1855 |doi=10.1073/pnas.97.4.1851 |doi-access=free |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=26525 |pmid=10677545|bibcode=2000PNAS...97.1851X }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Examples
|-
|Amino acids
|[[glycine]], [[glutamate]]
|-
|Monoamines
|[[serotonin]], [[epinephrine]], [[dopamine]]
|-
|Peptides
|[[substance P]], [[opioid]]s
|-
|Purines
|[[Adenosine triphosphate|ATP]], [[Guanosine triphosphate|GTP]]
|-
|Other
|[[nitric oxide]], [[carbon monoxide]]
|}