MedTerms Medical Dictionary

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Receptor: In cell biology, a structure on the surface of a cell (or inside a cell) that selectively receives and binds a specific substance.

There are hoards of receptors. There are receptors for insulin, receptors for low-density lipoproteins (LDL), etc. To take an example, the receptor for substance P, a molecule that acts as a messenger for the sensation of pain, is a unique harbor on the cell surface where substance P docks. Without this receptor, substance P cannot dock and cannot deliver its message of pain.

Variant forms of nuclear hormone receptors mediate processes such as cholesterol metabolism and fatty acid production. Some hormone receptors are implicated in diseases such as diabetes and certain types of cancer. A receptor called PXR appears to jump-start the body's response to unfamiliar chemicals and may be involved in drug-drug interactions.

In neurology, however, a receptor may have quite a different meaning. It may refer to the terminal of a sensory nerve that receives and responds to stimuli.

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