Receptorsalso

Receptorsalso is a term used in some speculative discussions to describe a proposed class of receptors that exhibit multifunctional signaling roles and integration across different pathways. The coinage combines “receptor” with “also,” signaling that these molecules may perform additional or alternative functions beyond traditional ligand-triggered signaling, such as acting as co-receptors, scaffolds, or modulators within complex signaling networks.

Proposed characteristics include the ability to bind multiple ligands with overlapping or distinct affinities and to activate more than one intracellular pathway depending on context. This context can involve ligand identity, receptor dimerization, post-translational modifications, or interactions with accessory proteins. In some models, receptorsalso participate in cross-talk between signaling cascades, helping to tune cellular responses rather than delivering a single linear signal.

Structure and distribution are described variably in the literature. Receptorsalso are often envisaged as transmembrane proteins with extracellular ligand-binding domains and intracellular effector regions, though intracellular or multi-pass variants are also proposed. They are sometimes associated with membrane microdomains or form dynamic complexes with other receptors and signaling partners.

Evidence for receptorsalso remains preliminary and not yet widely accepted. The concept emphasizes potential complexities in signaling networks and has implications for pharmacology and disease, where polypharmacology and pathway cross-talk can influence therapeutic outcomes. Validation requires standardized definitions and reproducible demonstrations of multi-ligand binding, multiple downstream outputs, and functional dependence on interaction partners. See also receptor, co-receptor, GPCR, signaling cross-talk, polypharmacology.