title: Insights into the structure and pharmacology of GABA(A) receptors.
abstract: GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult mammalian CNS. The ionotropic GABA type A receptors (GABA(A)Rs) belong to the Cys-loop family of receptors. Each member of the family is a large pentameric protein in which each subunit traverses the cell membrane four times. Within this family, the GABA type A receptors are particularly important for their rich pharmacology as they are targets for a range of therapeutically important drugs, including the benzodiazepines, barbiturates, neuroactive steroids and anesthetics. This review discusses new insights into receptor properties that allow us to begin to relate the structure of an individual receptor to its functional and pharmacological properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H7, Canada.
authors.forename: Chris R J
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Janna L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kozuska
authors.forename: Susan M J
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dunn
mesh_terms: D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D001463:Barbiturates; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013256:Steroids; D001569:Benzodiazepines