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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

Measuring G-protein-coupled Receptor Signaling via Radio-labeled GTP Binding
Published on: June 9, 2017
Evolving View of Membrane Trafficking and Signaling Systems for G Protein-Coupled Receptors
Silvia Sposini1, Aylin C Hanyaloglu2
1Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Hammersmith Campus, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
Abstract:
The G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily activates complex signal pathways, yet untangling these signaling systems to understand how specificity in receptor signaling pathways is achieved, has been a challenging question. The roles of membrane trafficking in GPCR signal regulation has undergone a recent paradigm shift, from a mechanism that programs the plasma membrane G protein signaling profile to providing distinct signaling platforms critical for specifying receptor function in vivo. In this chapter, we discuss this evolution of our understanding in the endocytic trafficking systems employed by GPCRs, and how such systems play a deeply integrated role with signaling. We describe recent studies that suggest that the endomembrane compartment can provide a mechanism to both specify, and yet also diversify, GPCR signal transduction. These new evolving models could aid mechanistic understanding of complex disease and provide novel therapeutic avenues.
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