Receptor nomenclature: how, who and when?

Receptor nomenclature guidelines

Receptors are typically characterized via two distinct approaches: (1) the identification and pharmacological characterization of a receptor-mediated response using classical pharmacological and/or radioligand approaches in tissues and animal models using selective agonist and antagonist ligands, and; (2) the cloning and expression of proteins with structural homology to known receptors, the function of which is subsequently established by studying the structure activity relationship (SAR) of receptor-mediated responses. An additional means to characterize receptors proceeded, and evolved, with the structural approach, namely classification in terms of signal transduction mechanisms. The International Union of Pharmacology (IUPHAR) created guidelines and selected working groups for each receptor family to establish a common nomenclature system. Reports from those groups that have reached some degree of consensus have been summarized in this appendix.

Purinergic signalling: pathophysiological roles

In this review, after a summary of the history and current status of the receptors involved in purinergic signalling, we focus on the distribution and physiological roles of purines and pyrimidines in both short-term events such as neurotransmission, exocrine and endocrine secretion and regulation of immune cell function, and long-term events such as cell growth, differentiation and proliferation in development and regeneration. Finally, the protective roles of nucleosides and nucleotides in events such as cancer, ischemia, wound healing, drug toxicity, inflammation and pain are explored and some suggestions made for future developments in this rapidly expanding field, with particular emphasis on the involvement of selective agonists and antagonists for purinergic receptor subtypes in therapeutic strategies.