Biological target
Biological target
Biological target (pronunciation: bi-o-lo-gi-cal tar-get) is a broad term in pharmacology and molecular biology that refers to the natural molecules in the body, such as proteins or RNA, that are influenced by specific drug substances.
Etymology
The term "biological target" is derived from the Greek word "βίος" (bios), meaning "life", and the Old English "targe", meaning "shield". In the context of pharmacology, it refers to the specific 'shield' or molecule in the body that a drug is designed to 'hit' or interact with.
Related Terms
- Drug: A substance used to prevent or cure a disease or ailment or to alleviate its symptoms.
- Pharmacology: The branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs.
- Molecular biology: The branch of biology that deals with the structure and function of the macromolecules (e.g. proteins and nucleic acids) essential to life.
- Protein: A molecule composed of polymers of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds.
- RNA: Ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its principal role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins.
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Biological target
- Wikipedia's article - Biological target
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