Abstract
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is designed to receive inputs from the environment and transduce these into signals that are sent to the central nervous system (CNS). While most PNS neurons carry some receptors for classical neurotransmitters like glutamate, they are only weakly sensitive to these substances (or are not nearly as sensitive to them as CNS neurons are). Instead, as their primary function is to detect changes in external cues-for instance, heat and foreign chemicals-they are thought to be activated mostly through a broad range of receptors that recognize such environmental signals. These receptors can be divided into several broad groups. The groups comprising the olfactory and taste receptors represent the classic examples of families that, taken together, can detect an extraordinary range of substances from the environment. Both groups are members of the GPCR superfamily and are coupled to various G-proteins, through which they transduce their signals in.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | ITCH |
Subtitle of host publication | Mechanisms and Treatment |
Publisher | CRC Press |
Pages | 213-236 |
Number of pages | 24 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781466505445 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781466505438 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine