Nomenclature and classification of transmitter receptors: an integrated approach

Abstract

This short assay is an attempt to rationalize an integrated approach to transmitter receptor nomenclature and classification based on three criteria: structural information (gene structure/amino acid sequence), operational 1 information (pharmacological/ ligand-defined/recognitory) and transductional information (receptor-effector coupling) are proposed to be used when considering the naming of existing or newly discovered receptors. It should be recognized that none of these criteria has primacy and that in an ideal situation, as much information as feasible on these three aspects should be collected before the naming of a receptor can be agreed upon.