Nicotinic receptors respond to nicotine and acetylcholine in the autonomic nervous system, and are a type of cholinergic receptor. They are ionotropic receptors that convert ligands into electrical signals. Muscarinic and nicotinic receptors are the two main types of cholinergic receptors.
Also called nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nicotinic receptors are cells that respond to nicotine, a neurotransmitter. These cells function primarily in the autonomic nervous system of the body. Nicotinic receptors are a type of acetylcholine receptor, which can also be called a cholinergic receptor. A receptor is a part of a cell that binds to certain chemicals in a process called binding, which causes the cell to react within the body. In addition to nicotine, the action of nicotinic receptors is triggered by acetylcholine (ACh), another common neurotransmitter.
When nicotine activates nicotinic receptors, its molecules are considered ligands or types of molecules that activate the receptors. The varieties of ligands that activate the receptor include inhibitors, neurotransmitters, activators, and substrates. In addition to ACh which activates nicotinic receptors, other types of neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
Nicotinic receptors also fall into the category of ionotropic receptors. An ionotropic receptor is a type of receptor that converts ligand into an electrical signal. Ionotropic receptors are contrasted with metabotropic receptors with their rapid fire means of function. Metabotropic receptors send their biological messages throughout the cell using somewhat slower diffusion of chemicals into the body of the cell in which the receptor is located. An example of a metabotropic receptor is the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, a receptor responsible for regulating the distribution of acetylcholine in the body, as well as other tasks within the body and brain.
Cholinergic receptors are a type of autonomous ACh-activated receptor, which mainly act on vital organs and processes such as the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Parts of the autonomic system include the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, and the enteric nervous system. Generally, the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for responses to threats, often called fight-or-flight responses. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for bodily functions performed at rest, such as digestion and the processes of removing bodily wastes, particularly those in the bladder. A little-understood part of the body, the enteric nervous system is a complicated system of nerves responsible for advanced functions related to digestion and digestive organs.
Muscarinic receptor and nicotinic receptor are the two main types of cholinergic receptor, another name for an acetylcholine receptor. Although muscarinic receptors respond primarily to muscarine, they also respond to nicotine to a lesser extent. Muscarine has been isolated as a chemical in a few types of mushrooms, although they are usually not safe to eat.
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