Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 656-662; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.76

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play critical roles throughout the body.  Precise regulation of the cellular location and availability of nAChRs on neurons and target cells is critical to their proper function.  Dynamic, post-translational regulation of nAChRs, particularly control of their movements among the different compartments of cells, is an important aspect of that regulation.  A combination of new information and new techniques has the study of nAChR trafficking poised for new breakthroughs.    

Keywords: membrane traffic; protein traffic; biosynthesis; endocytosis; endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation