Binding The Channel
For ligands, see Nicotinic agonist and Nicotinic antagonistAs with all ligand-gated ion channels, opening of the nAChR channel pore requires the binding of a chemical messenger. Several different terms are used to refer to the molecules that bind receptors, such as ligand. As well as the endogenous agonist acetylcholine, agonists of the nAChR are nicotine, epibatidine, and choline.
In neuronal nAChRs, the acetylcholine binding site is located at the α and either γ or δ subunits interface (or between two α subunits in the case of homomeric receptors) in the extracellular domain near the N terminus. When an agonist binds to the site, all present subunits undergo a conformational change and the channel is opened and a pore with a diameter of about 0.65 nm opens.
Read more about this topic: Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
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