Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Quantifying Agonist Activity at G Protein-coupled Receptors
Published on: December 26, 2011
5-HT2B receptor mRNA in guinea pig superior cervical ganglion
N R Newberry1, C J Watkins, A Volenec
1Oxford University, SmithKline Beecham Centre for Applied Neuropsychobiology, University Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Radcliffe Infirmary, UK.
Abstract:
Primers for 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptor mRNAs were used in reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) to determine the presence of these transcripts in the guinea pig superior cervical ganglion. This was done to help identify an as yet unknown 5-HT2-like receptor which, in addition to 5-HT2A receptors, mediates a slow depolarization of this preparation. PCR products corresponding to 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B, but not 5-HT2C, receptor mRNA could readily be detected. Subsequent sequence analysis of these products confirmed that the 5-HT2A band corresponded to part of the guinea pig 5-HT2A receptor and the 5-HT2B band probably represents a portion of the guinea pig 5-HT2B receptor. The latter sequence shares greater homology with an equivalent region of the human than the rat 5-HT2B receptor.
Related Concept Videos
G-protein Coupled Receptors
Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or...
Cholinergic Receptors: Muscarinic
The subtypes M1, M3, and M5 couple with the Gq subunit and activate the phospholipase C (PLC) activity, mobilizing intracellular Ca2+. Activation...
Cholinergic Receptors: Nicotinic
There are two types of nicotinic receptors: neuromuscular (NM/NM/N1) and neuronal (NN/NN/N2). The two families differ based on their location and selectivity to...

