SOMATOSTATIN RECEPTOR SUBTYPES - SPECIFIC EXPRESSION AND SIGNALING PROPERTIES

The five cloned somatostatin (SRIF) receptors (ssts) are presumed to s ubserve unique biological roles by virtue of their tissue-specific exp ression and particular signal transduction mechanisms. However, the fu nction of any individual sst subtype in its normal physiological milie u is not understood, because tissues and cells often express multiple ssts and, in the absence of receptor-specific SRIF analogs. the action s of individual receptors cannot be identified. To unravel the physiol ogical role and signaling mechanism of the ssts, we have generated rec eptor subtype-specific antibodies and used these antibodies to determi ne the distribution of the receptor proteins and to identify the signa l-transducing molecules with which particular sst subtypes interact. C opyright (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company