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Review
. 1980 Dec;32(4):169-75.

Opioid peptides as intercellular messengers

J C Schwartz, B P Roques
  • PMID: 6110445
Review

Opioid peptides as intercellular messengers

J C Schwartz et al. Biomedicine. 1980 Dec.

Abstract

Opioid peptides are endogenous substances present in central nervous system and various tissues whose actions are mediated by opiate receptors. They belong to two different classes: short peptides like the two pentapeptides enkephalin and substances of higher molecular weight like beta-endorphin. It appears that these various peptides play a messenger role between cells, either as neurotransmitters in the case of enkephalins or as hormones in the case of beta-endorphin.

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