gamma-Aminobutyric acid in peripheral tissues

Significant amounts of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an endogenous amino acid, are present in mammalian peripheral tissues. This finding led to the suggestion that GABA may act as a neurotransmitter in the peripheral nervous system as it does in the central nervous system. This review deals with recent identification of GABA in the autonomic nervous system and the possible functional role of GABA in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. The identification of GABA in the autonomic nervous system has paved the way for new approaches in pharmacological investigations.