Overview
Alomone Labs is pleased to offer the nAChRα Antibody Explorer Kit (#AK-231). This Explorer Kit includes antibodies targeting nAChRα along with their respective peptide control antigen. An ideal tool for screening purposes.
Compounds
Scientific Background
Acetylcholine, released by cholinergic neurons, activates two groups of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs); muscarinic AChRs (mAChRs) which belong to the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and nicotinic AChRs (nAChRs) which belong to the ligand-gated ion channel superfamily. nAChRs also respond to nicotine, hence their name1.
To date, 17 different but related subunits of nAChRs have been identified and cloned. They consist of α subunits (α1-10), which are responsible for the binding of ligands. In fact, this subunit includes a Cys-loop in the first extracellular domain that is required for agonist binding2. The other subunits responsible for making up the active receptor are the β (β1-4), γ, δ and ε subunits3. Structurally, all subunits have the following: a conserved large extracellular N-terminal domain, 3 conserved transmembrane domains, a variable cytoplasmic loop and a fourth transmembrane domain with a short extracellular C-terminal domain. An active nAChR is generally a heteropentamer (homopentamers also exist) of these various subunits organized around a central pore1.
- Albuquerque, E.X. et al (2009) Physiol. Rev. 89, 73.
- Karlin, A. et al. (1986) Ann. NY. Acad. Sci. 463, 53.
- Kalamida, D. et al. (2007) FEBS J. 274, 3799.
