The functions of anterior pituitary cells are controlled by two major groups of hypothalamic and intrapituitary ligands: one exclusively acts on G protein-coupled receptors and the other activates both G protein-coupled receptors and ligand-gated receptor channels. The second group of ligands operates as neurotransmitters in neuronal cells and their receptors are termed as neurotransmitter receptors. Most information about pituitary neurotransmitter receptors was obtained from secretory studies, RT-PCR analyses of mRNA expression and immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses, all of which were performed using a mixed population of pituitary cells. However, recent electrophysiological and imaging experiments have characterized γ-aminobutyric acid-, acetylcholine-, and ATP-activated receptors and channels in single pituitary cell types, expanding this picture and revealing surprising differences in their expression between subtypes of secretory cells and between native and immortalized pituitary cells. The main focus of this review is on the electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of these receptors and their roles in calcium signaling and calcium-controlled hormone secretion.

• Klíčová slova
• Action potentials, Calcium signaling, G protein-coupled receptors, Hormone secretion, Ligand-gated receptor channels, Neurotransmitters, Pituitary,
• MeSH
• buněčný rodokmen MeSH
• hormony adenohypofýzy metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• receptory neurotransmiterů metabolismus   MeSH
• signální transdukce * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hormony adenohypofýzy MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• receptory neurotransmiterů MeSH