Neuronal ATP receptors and their mechanism of action

ATP stores and supplies energy in neurons, but it also acts as a transmitter molecule. ATP activates a class of membrane receptors termed P2 purinoceptors. Based on the potencies of structural analogues of ATP, P2 purinoceptors in non-neuronal tissues were classified by classic pharmacological methods into two subtypes, P2x and P2y. Peter Illes and Wolfgang Nörenberg report that electrophysiological investigations indicate the presence of P2y-like purinoceptors on neurons. They describe two alternative ionic transduction mechanisms that may be activated by this receptor family.