Mechanisms of G-protein coupled receptor regulation

It has been realized recently that the enhanced or lowered activation of a certain receptor type brings about changes not only in the sensitivity (or density) of this particular receptor type in cell membranes by producing its desensitization or sensitization, down- or up-regulation (i.e. homologous regulation), but also it could change the function (or density) of other receptors (cross-regulation). This review is focused on mechanisms of the homologous regulation (changes in the pathway activated by the appropriate type of receptor) and possible mechanisms of cross-regulation (changes in pathway activated by other type of receptor).