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Receptors - Overview

RECEPTORS OVERVIEW
Response speeds
  • Fast
  • Slow
Signaling pathways
  • Intracellular
  • Membrane-bound
Receptor classes
RESPONSE SPEEDS
Fast responses
  • Due to altered protein function
  • Occur in milliseconds to minutes
Slow responses
  • Due to change in transcription and protein synthesis
  • Occur in minutes to hours
SIGNALING PATHWAYS
Intracellular receptors
  • Hydrophobic signaling molecules can travel through the plasma membrane (hormones)
  • Receptors inside the cell
  • Hormone/receptor complex travels to nucleus to bind DNA and promote a response
Membrane-bound receptors
  • Receptor bound to membrane with binding site accessible to the extracellular space
  • Ligand binds to receptors
  • This causes receptor activation which activates further proteins within the cell
  • Activated proteins transduce signal eventually leading to either altered gene expression or altered cellular metabolism
RECEPTOR CLASSES
G-protein coupled receptors
  • Receptor traverses the plasma membrane
  • Ligand binds to receptor
  • Receptor causes G-protein to bind GTP and become active
  • Active G-protein induces further responses within the cell
Receptor tyrosine kinases
  • Receptor traverses the plasma membrane
  • Ligand binds to receptor
  • Receptor dimerizes and phosphorylates itself
  • Intracellular proteins are activated by binding the phosphorylated receptor
  • Activated intracellular proteins induce further response within the cell
Ligand-gated ion channels
  • Channel traverses the membrane in a closed conformation
  • Ligand binds to channel
  • Channel opens allowing ions to pass through
  • Ions initiate intracellular response