Function of Receptors

In addition to hormone receptors, taste and olfactory receptors are typical examples of this biospecific recognition process. Presumably there are about 20 to 30 primary smells. After being bound to the appropriate receptor, their molecules cause conformational changes in the receptor molecule leading to a depolarization of a part of the nerve cell membranes and initiating an action potential. 

Another receptor type is that of light receptors. The retina of the 

Compared to the investigation of enzymes, that of the structure and function of membrane-bound receptors and their biotechnological application is only at the very beginning. An analogous classification, e.g., according to recognition mechanism or specificity has not yet been attempted. However, any progress in this field will provide impetus to the development of new biosensors based on receptors. 

For the repeated use of enzymes, cells, antibodies, and other biologically active agents in analytical devices, numerous techniques for fixing them to carrier materials have been developed. Immobilization, particularly of enzymes, brings about a number of further advantages for their application in analytical chemistry  

the enzyme-carrier complex may be easily separated from the sample, i.e., the latter is not contaminated by the enzyme preparation  

---

GPCR function has been shown to be regulated by several different mechanisms. The number of receptors on the plasma membrane may be regulated by transcription, mRNA stability, biosynthetic processing, and protein stability. In addition, the function of receptors in the plasma membrane can be influenced by regulatory phosphorylation and by association with other proteins that determine the subcellular location of receptors relative to other signaling molecules. 

Transgenic mice are being generated to assess the functions of receptor... 

The emerging pattern of immune regulation by histamine is very complex and calls for further investigation. Histamine and four different HRs constitute a multifaceted system with distinct functions of receptor types due to their differential expression, which changes according to the... 

In vitro studies suggest that the GRK4 SNPs impair the function of receptors, increase blood pressure, and impair the diuretic and natriuretic effects of dopamine Dj-like agonist stimulation. Inappropriate desensitization of the dopamine D, receptor in renal proximal tubules in hypertension may result in the decreased ability of the kidney to eliminate a sodium chloride load—a key risk factor in the development of hypertension. 

Structure and Function of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases 287 TabeUe 8.1. Selected growth factors and growth factor receptors from mammals. 

Further examples of the involvement of sialic acids in the function of receptors are (a) guinea-pig macrophages, which hind the migration-... 

Intrinsic activity Intrinsic activity is the maximal stimulatory response induced by a compound in relation to that of a criven reference compound. This term has evolved with common use. It was introduced by Ariens as a proportionality factor between tissue response and receptor occupancy. The numerical value of intrinsic activity (alpha) could ran from unity (for full agonists, i.e., agonist inducing the tissue maximal response) to zero (for antacyonists). The fractional values within this ran denoting partial agonists. Arien-8 original definition equates the molecular nature of alpha to maximal response only when response is a linear function of receptor occupancy. This function has... 

Inhalation anesthetics are nonselective in their action. That is, in addition to their clinically important effect on the central nervous system (CNS), they also alter the function of various peripheral cell types. The fact that chemically unrelated molecules produce a state of general anesthesia argues against a specific anesthetic receptor. Further, whereas anesthetics alter the function of receptors for neurotransmitters (for example, y-aminobutyric acid, glutamate),... 

Baldwin JM. Structure and function of receptors coupled to G proteins. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 1994 6 180-190. 

Although the maximum-effect pharmacodynamic models are empirically based/ they do incorporate the concept of a maximum effect predicted by the drug-receptor interactions described earlier. The Hill equation/ which takes the same form as the equation describing drug effect as a function of receptor occupancy/ relates a continuous drug effect to the drug concentration at the effect site as shown ... 

---