The Seven Pillars of Molecular Pharmacology: GPCR Research Honored with Nobel Prize for Chemistry

摘要

Gprotein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the working horses of cellular communication. They allow human cells to sense external cues, such as light or taste, or to talk to each other through hormones or neurotransmitters. They are involved in most physiological processes of the human body and are targeted by over 30 % of today's prescription drugs. Much of what we know about this class of proteins was stimulated by seminal discoveries by this year's Nobel Prize laureates for chemistry, Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka.