(Redirected from Cell surface receptor)
In
biochemistry, a 'receptor' is a
protein on the
cell membrane or within the
cytoplasm or
cell nucleus that binds to a specific molecule (a
ligand), such as a
neurotransmitter,
hormone, or other substance, and initiates the cellular response to the ligand. Ligand-induced changes in the behavior of receptor proteins result in physiological changes that constitute the biological actions of the ligands.
Binding and activation
Ligand binding to a receptor is an
equilibrium process: Ligands bind to an empty receptor and they dissociate from it (according to the
law of mass action):
:
: (the brackets stand for concentrations)
A measure of how well a certain molecule fits into a given receptor is the
binding affinity which is measured as the
dissociation constant K
d (good fit means ''high affinity'' and a low K
d). The activation of the
second messenger cascade and the final biological response is achieved only when at a certain time point a significant number of receptors are activated by bound ligands.
Agonists versus antagonists
Not every ligand that binds to a receptor l
also activates the receptor. The following classes of ligands exist:
★ ''(Full) agonists'' are able to activate the receptor and result in a maximal biological response. Most natural ligands are full agonists
★ ''Partial agonists'' are not able to activate the receptor maximally, resulting in a partial biological response compared to a full agonist.
★ ''Antagonists'' bind to the receptor but do not activate it. This results in a receptor blockade that inhibits the binding of agonists.
★ ''Inverse agonists'' are antagonists that are able to further reduce the receptor activation by decreasing its basal activity
Overview

Transmembrane receptor:E=extracellular space; I=intracellular space; P=plasma membrane
Receptors exist in different types, dependent on their
ligand and function:
★ Some receptor proteins are
peripheral membrane proteins;
★ Many
hormone receptors and
neurotransmitter receptors are
transmembrane proteins: transmembrane receptors are embedded in the
lipid bilayer of
cell membranes, that allow the activation of
signal transduction pathways in response to the activation by the binding molecule, or
ligand.
★
★
Metabotropic receptors are coupled to
G proteins and affect the cell indirectly through
enzymes which control
ion channels.
★
★
Ionotropic receptors contain a central pore which functions as a ligand-gated ion channel.
★ Another major class of receptors are
intracellular proteins such as those for
steroid and
intracrine peptide hormone receptors. These receptors often can enter the
cell nucleus and modulate
gene expression in response to the activation by the ligand.
★ The shapes and actions of receptors are newly investigated by the
X-ray crystallography and computer modelling. This increases the current understanding of
drug action at binding sites on the receptors.
Peripheral membrane protein receptors
Transmembrane receptors
Main articles: Transmembrane receptor
Metabotropic receptors
Main articles: Metabotropic receptor
G protein-coupled receptors
Main articles: G protein-coupled receptor
These receptors are also known as 'seven transmembrane receptors' or '7TM' receptors.
★
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (
Acetylcholine and
Muscarine)
★
Adenosine receptors (
Adenosine)
★
Adrenoceptors (also known as
Adrenergic receptors, for
''adren''aline, and other structurally related
hormones and
drugs)
★
GABA receptors, Type-B (
γ-Aminobutyric acid or GABA)
★
Angiotensin receptors (
Angiotensin)
★
Cannabinoid receptors (
Cannabinoids)
★
Cholecystokinin receptors (
Cholecystokinin)
★
Dopamine receptors (
Dopamine)
★
Glucagon receptors (
Glucagon)
★
Metabotropic glutamate receptors (
Glutamate)
★
Histamine receptors (
Histamine)
★
Olfactory receptors (for the
sense of smell)
★
Opioid receptors (
Opioids)
★
Rhodopsin (a
photoreceptor)
★
Secretin receptors (
Secretin)
★
Serotonin receptors, except Type-3 (
Serotonin, also known as 5-Hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT)
★
Somatostatin receptors (
Somatostatin)
★
Calcium-sensing receptor (
Calcium)
★
Chemokine receptors (
Chemokines)
★ ''many more'' ...
Receptor tyrosine kinases
These receptors detect ligands and propagate signals via the
tyrosine kinase of their intracellular domains.
This family of receptors includes;
★
Erythropoietin receptor (
Erythropoietin)
★
Insulin receptor (
Insulin)
★
Eph receptors
★
Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor
★ various other receptors for
growth factors &
cytokines
★ ....
Guanylyl cyclase receptors
★ GC-A & GC-B: receptors for
Atrial-natriuretic peptide (ANP) and other natriuretic peptides
★ GC-C:
Guanylin receptor
Ionotropic receptors
★
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (
Acetylcholine,
Nicotine)
★
Glycine receptor (GlyR) (
Glycine,
Strychnine)
★
GABA receptors: GABA-A, GABA-C (
GABA)
★
Glutamate receptors:
NMDA receptor,
AMPA receptor, and
Kainate receptor (
Glutamate)
★
5-HT3 receptor (
Serotonin)
The entire repertoire of human plasma membrane receptors is listed at the Human Plasma Membrane Receptome (http://receptome.stanford.edu).
Intracellular receptors
Transcription factors
★
nuclear receptor:
★
★
Steroid hormone receptor
Various
★
sigma1 (
neurosteroids))
★
IP3 receptor (
inositol triphosphate, IP
3)
★ G protein-coupled receptors PMID 16902576
Role in Genetic Disorders
Many
genetic disorders involve hereditary defects in receptor genes. Often, it is hard to determine whether the receptor is nonfunctional or the
hormone is produced at decreased level; this gives rise to the "pseudo-hypo-" group of
endocrine disorders, where there appears to be a decreased hormonal level while in fact it is the receptor that is not responding sufficiently to the hormone.
Receptor Regulation
Cells can increase (
upregulate) or decrease (
downregulate) the number of receptors to a given
hormone or
neurotransmitter to alter its sensitivity to this molecule. This is a locally acting
feedback mechanism.
See also
★
Signal transduction
★
Neuropsychopharmacology
★
Schild regression for ligand receptor inhibition
★
Ki Database
★
External links
★
IUPHAR GPCR Database and Ion Channels Compendium
★
★