Receptor Pharmacology
Definition:
The study of the interactions of receptors with their activators, inhibitors, and other binding partners. There are five main classes of receptors: ligand-gated ion channels, drug and solute transporters (which are similar to ligand-gated ion channels when it comes to inhibitors), tyrosine kinase-coupled receptors, intracellular steroid receptors, and G-protein coupled receptors
Relevance:
Receptors are the primary target for many therapeutics as drugs can function as receptor ligands and alter physiological function to produce therapeutic responses.
Examples:
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Receptor type
|
Ligand-gated ion channel
|
Tyrosine kinase receptor
|
Steroid receptor
|
G-protein coupled receptor
|
|
Location
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Membrane
|
Membrane
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Intracellular
|
Membrane
|
|
Main action
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Ion flux
|
Phosphorylation
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Gene transcription
|
2nd messengers
|
|
Example of receptor/drug
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Nicotinic/Neuromuscular blocking drugs
NMDA/Ketamine
|
Insulin/Insulin
Growth factor/ EGF
|
Steroid/thyroxine
Steroid/Oestrogen
|
Opioid/Morphine
Adrenoreceptor/isoprenaline |
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