Structure and Function of 7tm Receptors

The large superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors, with their 7 transmembrance-spanning segments constitute a unifying signal transduction mechanism for all kinds of chemical messengers. The 7TM receptors are also the target for the majority of drugs used in human medicine today. However, most of these compounds have so far only been directed towards a small subset of monoamine receptors. Thus, the pharmacotherapeutic potential of 7TM receptors as such appears to be immense. This work features contributions from 30 researchers working in the field. It provides an overview of current knowledge of the structure and function of 7TM receptors and related proteins. An important focus is directed at the implications of these aspects for modern drug research and development both in practical and more theoretical terms. Each paper is followed by extensive discussions, giving participants the opportunity to question data and generate ideas for future research. The book should be of interest to pharmacologists and doctors within the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics, as well as genetics.