Receptor Theories Lecture Review

A collection of vocabulary flashcards derived from a lecture on receptor theories, focusing on key concepts, definitions, and important figures in the field.

Receptor Theory

A theory that explains how drugs interact with cellular receptors to produce a biological response.

Side-Chain Theory

Ehrlich's theory proposing that immune cells possess specific receptors for toxins, leading to antibody production.

Occupation Theory

A theory stating that drug effects are proportional to the number of receptors occupied by drugs.

Lock and Key Concept

Analogy describing how substrates and enzymes must fit precisely to facilitate a chemical reaction.

Induced-Fit Theory

Suggests that receptor binding alters both receptor and ligand shapes for a biological effect.

Rate Theory

The pharmacological activity is based on the rates of drug-receptor complex formation rather than receptor occupancy.

Agonist

A drug that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a biological response.

Antagonist

A drug that binds to a receptor but does not activate it, blocking the action of agonists.

Partial Agonist

A drug that activates a receptor but produces a weaker response compared to a full agonist.

Activation-Aggregation Theory

Proposes that receptors exist in an equilibrium between activated and inactivated states.

Macromolecular Perturbation Theory

Describes how drug-receptor interactions can either lead to a biological response or no response.

Dimerization

The process by which two receptor molecules bind together, often enhancing signaling.

Oligomerization

A process in which multiple receptor subunits interact or cluster to form a functional unit.

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs)

A class of receptors that undergo dimerization and autophosphorylation upon ligand binding.

Two-State Receptor Model

A model that postulates receptors exist in a resting state (R) and an activated state (R*).

Equilibrium Shift

The concept that the presence of drugs can alter the equilibrium between resting and activated states of receptors.

Inverse Agonist

A drug that stabilizes the inactive form of a receptor, reducing its baseline activity.

Conformational Change

Alteration in the shape of a receptor due to ligand binding, critical in transducing biological signals.

Pharmacological Activity

The effects produced by a drug as a result of its interaction with biological receptors.

Antibody Production

The process by which immune cells release antibodies in response to toxins binding their receptors.

Dynamic Receptors

Receptors that change their shape and position, evolving in response to environmental factors.

Signal Transduction

The process by which a cell responds to external signals via receptor activation.

Substrate

The molecule upon which an enzyme acts, akin to the 'key' in the lock and key analogy.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that accelerates chemical reactions, requiring a specific substrate structure.

Binding Site

The specific region on a receptor where a ligand or drug attaches to invoke a response.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of how drugs affect the body, particularly through their interactions with receptors.

Homodimer

A dimer formed from two identical receptor proteins, relevant in receptor signaling.

Heterodimer

A dimer formed from two different receptor proteins, which may alter signaling pathways.

Biological Response

The physiological effect or change within a cell or organism following receptor activation.