What is the difference between the different 5-HT receptors and how do drugs target different ones?
In: Biology
In a broad sense for receptors that have different types but all bind the same molecule, there are probably three big differences: where they are in the body, the exact shape of the receptor, and what kind of reaction it causes in the cell when the molecule binds to the receptor. Drugs take advantage of these differences to have different effects. Say you want to target the receptor type in the brain, but not the ones elsewhere–then make a drug that goes there. Or make one that binds the shape of one receptor and not another.
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