Ion Channel-Linked Receptors

Ion Channel-Linked Receptors are a group of transmembrane ion-channel proteins which open to allow ions such as as Na+, K+, Ca2+, and/or Cl- to pass through the membrane in response to the binding of a chemical messenger, such as a neurotransmitter. These receptor proteins are typically composed of at least two different domains: a transmembrane domain which includes the ion pore, and an extracellular domain which includes the ligand binding location (an allosteric binding site).