title: Molecular biology of somatostatin receptors.
abstract: The neuropeptide somatostatin (SRIF) has diverse physiological actions in the brain and endocrine organs. A family of SRIF receptors has recently been cloned that may mediate the distinct biological effects of SRIF. These receptors have a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity among themselves, but their sequences are different from any other receptors, indicating that they represent a distinct neurotransmitter receptor subfamily. The availability of the cloned receptors will now allow for detailed structure-function analysis of SRIF receptors and will facilitate development of subtype-selective agonists and antagonists that could be useful in the treatment of central nervous system and endocrine disorders.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Chicago, IL 60637.
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reisine
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin