File:Receptor_(Biochemistry).svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
signaling receptor
Sign in to saveAlso known as receptor, receptors, biochemical receptors, biochemical receptor, cell receptor
protein molecule receiving signals for a cell
A signaling receptor is a protein molecule on or inside a cell that receives chemical signals from other cells or substances, allowing the cell to detect and respond to its environment. These receptors are important because they enable cells to communicate with each other and coordinate their activities, which is essential for how living organisms function.
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Wikidata facts
- Subclass of
- protein
- Image
- Transmembrane receptor.png
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- topic's main category
- Category:Receptors
- Commons category
- Receptors
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Encyclopedic overview
An example of membrane receptors. Ligands, located outside the cell Ligands connect to specific receptor proteins based on the shape of the active site of the protein. The receptor releases a messenger once the ligand has connected to the receptor.
In biochemistry and pharmacology, receptors are proteins that receive and transduce signals that may be integrated into biological systems. These signals are typically chemical messengers which bind to a receptor and produce physiological responses, such as a change in the electrical activity of a cell. For example, GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, inhibits electrical activity of neurons by binding to GABAA receptors. There are three main ways the action of the receptor can be classified: relay of signal, amplification, or integration. Relaying sends the signal onward, amplification increases the effect of a single ligand, and integration allows the signal to be incorporated into another biochemical pathway.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “signaling receptor” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.