Cation-pi interactions: Difference between revisions
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===Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor and Nicotine Addiction=== | ===Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor and Nicotine Addiction=== | ||
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel that responds to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It occurs in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and in the neuromuscular junction that controls muscle contraction. It has multiple forms, | The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel that responds to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It occurs in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and in the neuromuscular junction that controls muscle contraction. It has multiple forms, notably a ''neuronal type'' found in the brain, and a ''muscle type'' found in neuromuscular junctions. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is the basis for nicotine addiction, which kills over 4,000,000 people annually<ref name="XD">PMID: 19252481</ref>. As stated by Xiu ''et al.''<ref name="XD" />: | ||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
"... if nicotine activated ACh receptors found in muscle as potently as it does brain receptors, smoking would cause intolerable and perhaps fatal muscle contractions."<ref name="XD" /> | "... if nicotine activated ACh receptors found in muscle as potently as it does brain receptors, smoking would cause intolerable and perhaps fatal muscle contractions."<ref name="XD" /> | ||