Opioid receptor
Opioid receptor
The Opioid receptor is a type of protein that is embedded in the cell membrane of neuronal cells in the nervous system. These receptors play a crucial role in the effects of opioids, a class of drugs that includes substances such as morphine, heroin, and oxycodone.
Pronunciation
Opioid receptor is pronounced as /ˈoʊpiɔɪd rɪˈsɛptər/.
Etymology
The term "Opioid receptor" is derived from "Opioid", which comes from the Greek words "opion" meaning "poppy juice" and "eidos" meaning "like", and "receptor", which comes from the Latin word "receptus", meaning "received".
Types of Opioid Receptors
There are four main types of opioid receptors:
- Mu (μ): These receptors are primarily responsible for the analgesic (pain-relieving) effects of opioids.
- Delta (δ): Activation of these receptors can also produce analgesic effects, but they are less well understood than mu receptors.
- Kappa (κ): These receptors are involved in a variety of effects, including analgesia, diuresis, and dysphoria.
- Nociceptin (NOP): These receptors are less well understood, but they appear to play a role in pain modulation and stress response.
Related Terms
- Analgesia: The inability to feel pain.
- Nociception: The sensory nervous system's response to harmful or potentially harmful stimuli.
- Endorphin: Endogenous opioid neuropeptides produced by the central nervous system and pituitary gland.
- Enkephalin: Endogenous opioid peptides that are found in neurons of the brain.
- Dynorphin: An endogenous opioid that acts primarily on kappa opioid receptors.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Opioid receptor
- Wikipedia's article - Opioid receptor
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