Opioid Peptides and their Relevance for CNS Mechanisms; Role of 'Enkephalinase' (Enkephalin-Dipeptidylcarboxypeptidase) as Synaptic Neuropeptidase

The main properties and localisation of enkephalin-dipeptidylcarboxypeptidase (“enkephalinase”) a membrane-bound enzyme cleaving the enkephalins at the Gly3-Phe4 amide bond are described. Its involvement in the inactivation of synaptically-released enkephalins is discussed in the light of criteria proposed to identify “neuropeptidases”.