REVIEW: Biosynthesis, Release, and Uptake of Carnosine in Primary Cultures

A. Bakardjiev^* and K. Bauer

Max-Planck-Institut für Experimentelle Endokrinologie, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, D-30625 Hannover, Germany; fax: +49-511-5359-203; E-mail: karl.bauer@mpihan.mpg.de

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received November 15, 1999

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Biosynthesis, release, and uptake of carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) in highly enriched primary cell cultures of skeletal muscle and CNS tissue have been investigated. The synthesis is restricted to muscle cells, oligodendrocytes, and ensheathing cells of olfactory bulb and increases during differentiation of these cells. Astrocytes, in contrast, do not synthesize carnosine but are equipped with a dipeptide transporter by which carnosine is taken up very efficiently.

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KEY WORDS: carnosine, glia cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ensheathing cells

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