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General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels

M D Krasowski and N L Harrison
Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS, Vol.55(10), pp.1278-1303
08/15/1999
DOI: 10.1007/s000180050371
PMCID: PMC2854026
PMID: 10487207
url
https://doi.org/10.1007/s000180050371View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

The molecular mechanisms of general anaesthetics have remained largely obscure since their introduction into clinical practice just over 150 years ago. This review describes the actions of general anaesthetics on mammalian neurotransmitter-gated ion channels. As a result of research during the last several decades, ligand-gated ion channels have emerged as promising molecular targets for the central nervous system effects of general anaesthetics. The last 10 years have witnessed an explosion of studies of anaesthetic modulation of recombinant ligand-gated ion channels, including recent studies which utilize chimeric and mutated receptors to identify regions of ligand-gated ion channels important for the actions of general anaesthetics. Exciting future directions include structural biology and gene-targeting approaches to further the understanding of general anaesthetic molecular mechanisms.
 Humans Ion Channels - drug effects Cell Membrane - ultrastructure Ion Channels - physiology Cell Membrane - physiology Mammals Ion Channel Gating - physiology Animals Receptors, Cell Surface - drug effects Anesthetics, General - pharmacology Ligands Protein Conformation Receptors, Cell Surface - chemistry Receptors, Cell Surface - physiology Ion Channels - chemistry

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