Reseptööris

Reseptööris is a term that may appear in Estonian texts as a designation for a receptor, a concept commonly discussed in physiology, pharmacology, and sensory biology. It is not a standard term in established scientific vocabulary; the more widely accepted Estonian equivalents are retseptor or retseptorid, and the English loanword receptor is also used in academic writing. Because reseptööris is not consistently defined across sources, its precise meaning can vary depending on the context.

A receptor is a molecular structure that detects specific signals, or ligands, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, odor molecules, light, or mechanical stimuli. Upon ligand binding, a receptor undergoes a conformational change or biochemical interaction that initiates a cellular response through signal transduction pathways. These pathways translate external signals into changes in cell activity, gene expression, or metabolic state.

There are several major receptor classes. Membrane receptors include ligand-gated ion channels, which control ion flow across the cell membrane, G-protein-coupled receptors, and enzyme-linked receptors that activate intracellular enzymes. Intracellular receptors, located inside the cell, respond to lipophilic ligands that cross the membrane. Sensory receptors, such as photoreceptors in the eye, olfactory receptors in the nose, and taste receptors on the tongue, are specialized examples that convert environmental information into neural signals.

Receptors are central to physiology and medicine, serving as key drug targets and diagnostic markers. Research methods to study them include binding assays, electrophysiology, and imaging techniques. See also receptor, signal transduction, pharmacology.