D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) is an endogenous amino acid found in the nervous and endocrine systems of many marine and terrestrial animals (including humans) where it has physiological importance in neurotransmission and hormone regulation.  We report finding D-Asp in the nervous system the grass frog Rana pipiens.  D-Asp, as analyzed by HPLC, was found primarily in the nervous tissues: spinal cord (~17 nmoles/g, 1% D), brain stem (~16 nmoles/g, 2% D), brain (~8 nmoles/g, 0.8% D), and sciatic nerves (~6 nmoles/g, 2% D). Non-nervous tissues (heart, lung, muscle) contained none or very small concentrations of D-Asp.  These results demonstrate that D-Asp is present in the frog nervous system and may have a physiological role as a neurotransmitter.

D-Aspartic acid in frog nervous system

245th National Meeting (2013)

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