Lecturio: Study for Medical School, USMLE, MCAT & MBBS

Receptors are proteins located either on the surface of or within a cell that can bind to signaling molecules known as ligands (e.g., hormones) and cause some type of response within the cell. Surface receptors are bound to the cell membrane, receive signals from their surrounding environment, and transmit those signals into the cell, often via the generation of 2nd messengers (like cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)) or through phosphorylation cascades. There are multiple different subclasses of surface receptors, and 3 of the most important classes include ligand-gated ion channel receptors, enzyme-linked receptors (the most common of which are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs)), and G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Intracellular receptors, on the other hand, are located within the cytoplasm and often act as transcription factors, directly interacting with DNA and affecting gene expression.

Advanced Pathophysiology (APRN)

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