Agonist binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and probability of channel opening.
Binding of agonists to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor induces a conformational change by which the integral cation channel is opened. The analysis of this mechanism is commonly based on models which may be classified as either occupational or conformational. Here I summarize results showing that none of these concepts alone is capable of accommodating all experimental observations. A new integrated model based on earlier concepts and the molecular structure of this macromolecule can explain the experiments.
Prinz
H
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Max-Planck-Institut für Ernährungsphysiologie, Rheinlanddamm 201, D-4600 Dortmund I, F.R.G.