Receptor (biochemistry)

In biochemistry and pharmacology, a receptor is a protein-molecule that receives chemical-signals from outside a cell. When such chemical-signals bind to a receptor, they cause some form of cellular/tissue-response, e.g. a change in the electrical-activity of a cell. In this sense, a receptor is a protein-molecule that recognises and responds to endogenous-chemical signals, e.g. an acetylcholine-receptor recognizes and responds to its endogenous-ligand, acetylcholine. However, sometimes in pharmacology, the term is also used to include other proteins that are drug-targets, such as enzymes, transporters and ion-channels.