title: Molecular structure of purinergic P2X receptors and their expression in the hypothalamus and pituitary.
abstract: Purinergic P2X receptors represent a novel structural type of ligand-gated ion channels activated by extracellular ATP. So far, seven P2X receptor subunits have been found in excitable as well as non-excitable tissues. Little is known about their structure, mechanism of channel opening, localization, and role in the central nervous system. The aim of this work is to summarize recent investigations and describe our contribution to elucidating the structure of the ATP binding site and transmembrane domains of the P2X receptor, we also discuss the expression and physiological roles played by the ATP and P2X receptors in the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic. zemkova@biomed.cas.cz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zemková
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balík
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jindrichová
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vávra
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D052681:Gonadotrophs / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D007559:Ivermectin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate