Ligand-gated ion channels, LGIC

Fig. 1. Model of a ligand gated ion channel (LGIC) where (a) is the structure of a generic LGIC subunit showing the two cysteine (Cys) residues common to all LGIC subunits, and (b) shows the arrangement of five such subunits as a pentamer having psuedo-cyclic symmetry delineating a gated, fluid-filled...

Synaptic Transmission. Figure 1 Synaptic transmission. The presynaptic terminal contains voltage-dependent Na Superscript and Ca2+ channels, vesicles with a vesicular neurotransmitter transporter VNT, a plasmalemmal neurotransmitter transporter PNT, and a presynaptic G protein-coupled receptor GPCR with its G protein and its effector E the inset also shows the vesicular H+ pump. The postsynaptic cell contains two ligand-gated ion channels LGIC, one for Na+ and K+ and one for Cl-, a postsynaptic GPRC, and a PNT. In this synapse, released transmitter is inactivated by uptake into cells. 

Of the several classes of receptors for endogenous chemical signals [3], two are used as postsynaptic receptors in synaptic transmission ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs Fig. 1). Due to the large number of transmitters and the existence of several receptor types for almost all, postsynaptic receptor activation is the most diversified step of synaptic transmission. Table 1 shows selected neurotransmitter receptors. 

DNA deoxyribonucleic acid LGIC ligand-gated ion channel... 

Bensaccount (2006) Ligand-gated ion channel, http // en.wildpedia.org/wiki/Image LGIC.png. Accessed 26 Nov 2007... 

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