In biochemistry, a receptor is a protein on the cell membrane or within the cytoplasm that binds to a specific factor (a ligand), such as a neurotransmitter, hormone, or other substance, and initiates the cellular response to the ligand. As all receptors are proteins, their structure is encoded into the DNA. Most hormone genes contain a short sequence that signals to the cell whether it needs to be transported to the cell membrane or it is to remain in the cytoplasm.
Many genetic disorders involve hereditary defects in receptor genes. Often, it is hard to determine whether the receptor is nonfunctional or the hormone is produced at decreased level; this gives rise to the "pseudo_hypo_" group of endocrine disorders, where there appears to be a decreased hormonal level while in fact it is the receptor that is not responding sufficiently to the hormone.
Another major class of receptors are intracellular proteins such as those for steroid hormone receptors. These receptors often can enter the cell nucleus and modulate gene expression in response to the activation by the ligand.
In biochemistry, a receptor is a protein on the cell membrane or within the cytoplasm or cell nucleus that binds to a specific molecule (a ligand), such as a neurotransmitter, hormone, or other substance, and initiates the cellular response to the ligand.
Many hormonereceptors and neurotransmitterreceptors are transmembrane proteins: transmembrane receptors are embedded in the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, that allow the activation of signal transduction pathways in response to the activation by the binding molecule, or ligand.
Often, it is hard to determine whether the receptor is nonfunctional or the hormone is produced at decreased level; this gives rise to the "pseudo-hypo-" group of endocrine disorders, where there appears to be a decreased hormonal level while in fact it is the receptor that is not responding sufficiently to the hormone.
Artificial T cellreceptors (also known as chimeric T cellreceptors) are engineered molecules, which when expressed by T cells, redirect the T cells to kill a target cell with a specificity dictated by the artificial receptor.
The transmembrane domain is a typical hydrophobic alpha helix usually derived from the original molecule of the signalling endodomain which protrudes into the cell and transmits the desired signal.
The cell membrane lipid bilayer, through which the transmembrane domain passes, acts to isolate the inside portion (endodomain) from the external portion (ectodomain).
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