Description
Product Characteristics:
Members of the ligand-gated ion channel receptor family are characterized by their fast transmitting response to neurotransmitters. Two important members of this family are the nicotinic acetylcholine and glutamate receptors, both of which are composed of five homologous subunits forming a transmembrane aqueous pore. These transmembrane receptors change conformation in response to their cognate neurotransmitter. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are found at the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction and bind acetylcholine molecules, allowing ions to move through the pore. AChR alpha 6, also designated cholinergic nicotinic receptor alpha polypeptide 6, is a neuronal acetylcholine receptor protein expressed in respiratory mucosa. AChR alpha 6 is also selectively expressed on dopaminergic terminals, where it complexes with AChR Beta 2 and AChR alpha 4.
Subcellular location: Cell membrane
Synonyms: AChR-alpha6, Acra6, Cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 6, Cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha polypeptide 6, CHRNA 6, nAChR alpha 6, NACHRA6, Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha 6, Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha6, ACHA6_HUMAN.
Target Information: This gene encodes an alpha subunit of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These receptors consist of five subunits and function as ion channels involved in neurotransmission. The encoded protein is a subunit of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that mediate dopaminergic neurotransmission and are activated by acetylcholine and exogenous nicotine. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been observed for this gene. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in this gene have been associated with both nicotine and alcohol dependence. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2010]