Definition
Histamine (2-(4-imidazolyl)-ethylamine), a biogenic amine, is synthesized by decarboxylation of the amino acid histidine mostly in mast cells. It is a hydrophilic vasoactive amine, a potent vasodilator, and also a neuromodulator in the central nervous system. As a strongly vasodilating substance, histamine plays a key role in many allergic reactions. In the superficial layers of the skin, histamine released from mast cells is strongly pruritogenic, by binding to H1 receptors in the terminal membranes of a special subgroup of C-afferent fibers.
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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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(2013). Histamine. In: Gebhart, G.F., Schmidt, R.F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_200945
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_200945
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-28752-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-28753-4
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