# María Teresa Miras Portugal: a pioneer in the study of purinoceptors in chromaffin cells

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the pioneering work of María Teresa Miras Portugal on purinergic signaling in adrenal chromaffin cells.

## Contribution

The paper highlights her seminal contributions to understanding purinoceptors in chromaffin cells.

## Key findings

- Miras Portugal identified diadenosine polyphosphates in chromaffin cells.
- She studied the adrenomedullary purinome, including nucleotide synthesis, transport, and exocytotic release.
- Her work revealed autocrine regulation of chromaffin cell function via purinoceptors.

## Abstract

María Teresa Miras Portugal devoted most of her scientific life to the study of purinergic signalling. In an important part of her work, she used a model system: the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. It was in these cells that she identified diadenosine polyphosphates, from which she proceeded to the study of adrenomedullary purinome: nucleotide synthesis and degradation, adenosine transport, nucleotide uptake into chromaffin granules, exocytotic release of nucleotides and autocrine regulation of chromaffin cell function via purinoceptors. This short review will focus on the current state of knowledge of the purinoceptors of adrenal chromaffin cells, a subject to which María Teresa made seminal contributions and which she continued to study until the end of her scientific life.