REGULATION OF IONOTROPIC RECEPTORS BY PROTEIN-PHOSPHORYLATION

The regulation of synaptic signal transduction is of central importanc e to our understanding of normal and abnormal nervous system function. One mechanism by which signal transduction can be affected is the mod ification of cellular sensitivity by alterations of transmembrane rece ptor properties. For G-protein coupled receptors, protein phosphorylat ion is intimately involved in many stages of receptor regulation. This appears to be true for ionotropic receptors as well. Evidence of a ro le for protein kinase and protein phosphatase activity in the multi-st aged ionotropic receptor regulation cascade is presented and a compari son to G-protein coupled receptor regulation is considered.