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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Localization of Plasma Membrane and Intracellular Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Using Quantitative Imaging in Mammalian Cells
Published on: December 19, 2025
Agonist binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and probability of channel opening
1Max-Planck-Institut für Ernährungsphysiologie, Rheinlanddamm 201, D-4600 Dortmund I, F.R.G.
Abstract:
Binding of agonists to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor induces a conformational change by which the integral cation channel is opened. The analysis of this mechanism is commonly based on models which may be classified as either occupational or conformational. Here I summarize results showing that none of these concepts alone is capable of accommodating all experimental observations. A new integrated model based on earlier concepts and the molecular structure of this macromolecule can explain the experiments.
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