title: Structure of neuronal nicotinic receptors.
abstract: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a critical component of the brain's cholinergic neurotransmission system that modulates important physiological processes and whose dysfunction has been observed in patients with neurodegenerative diseases and mental illness. nAChRs are a heterogeneous family of receptor subtypes consisting of pentameric combinations of α and β subunits, and are widely expressed throughout the central and peripheral nervous system. nAChR subtypesnAChR subtypes share a common basic structure but their biophysical and pharmacological properties depend on their subunit compositionSubunit composition , which is therefore central to understanding receptor function in the nervous system and discovering new subtype-selective drugs. We briefly review some recent findings concerning the structure and function of nAChRs, particularly the native subtypes.
authors: Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Milan, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129, Milan, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Fasoli
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Gotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic