Understanding G-Protein Coupled Receptors and Cellular Signaling

🧬 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large class of membrane receptors found in eukaryotes.

💊 Humans have over a thousand different types of GPCRs, which are targeted by about half of all modern drugs.

🧠 GPCRs play a crucial role in regulating various functions in the human body, including the immune system, olfaction, taste, vision, behavior, and mood.

📚 GPCRs are transmembrane proteins with 7 alpha-helices.

🔗 GPCRs can interact with G proteins, which are specialized proteins capable of binding GTP and GDP.

🧩 GPCRs are heterotrimeric proteins consisting of alpha, beta, and gamma subunits.

🔑 Proteins called G proteins play a key role in signal transduction.

🔍 Receptor proteins can interact with specific signaling molecules, triggering a cascade of events.

🔄 When a signaling molecule binds to the receptor protein, it undergoes a conformational change, initiating cellular responses.

🔍 The binding of a ligand to the GPCR leads to a conformational change in the protein.

🔄 The alpha subunit of the G protein exchanges GDP for GTP and dissociates from the beta-gamma subunit.

⚙️ The alpha subunit interacts with target proteins to regulate their functions.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are diverse proteins that can stimulate or inhibit target proteins.

When a GPCR is activated by a ligand, it initiates a chain of events that can be repeated as long as the ligand is bound.

The GTP molecule is hydrolyzed into GDP, causing the GPCR to return to its inactive state.

Protein RGS can regulate the hydrolysis of GTP, speeding up the process.

An example of GPCR function is the response to epinephrine, triggering the fight or flight response.

🔑 When epinephrine binds to the adrenergic receptor, it undergoes a conformational change and activates the G-protein.

💡 The activated G-protein then interacts with adenylate cyclase to stimulate the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which serves as a second messenger.

⚡ The cAMP inside the cell triggers various responses, including increased heart rate, vasodilation, and energy production.

🔑 G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a diverse family of cell surface receptors that respond to various external signals.

🔄 GPCRs activate G proteins, which then trigger the production of second messengers, such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP).

⚙️ These second messengers regulate a wide range of bodily functions, including heart rate, blood vessel dilation, and glucose metabolism.