FOR 926: Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Endocannabinoid System

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The term cannabinoids originally described the active ingredients in the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, including the well-known psychoactive substance ?9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC activates the G-protein-coupled receptors CB1 and CB2. The physiological endogenous ligands of these receptors, the endocannabinoids, are lipids that are produced by many different cells. Recent results, to which the principle investigators of this Research Unit have contributed to a major extent, strongly suggests that the endocannabinoid system plays a crucial role in the physiological responses to internal and external stressors and thus contributes to the maintenance of the homeostasis. The short-term activation of the endocannabinoid system represents thus an important protective stress response and promotes the following protective physiological responses: