Which of these receptor mechanisms typically results in the fastest cellular response (milliseconds)?
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Correct answer: Ligand-gated ion channel opening
Ligand-gated ion channels open almost immediately upon ligand binding, allowing ion flux that leads to rapid responses — much faster than second messenger or transcription-mediated pathways.
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More Cell Signalling and Receptor Mechanisms questions
- Which of the following best distinguishes metabotropic receptors from ionotropic receptors?
- Which receptor type is least likely to involve a multi-step intracellular cascade before eliciting a cellular response?
- Which structural feature is diagnostic of a G-protein–coupled receptor (GPCR)?
- Activation of a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) most directly causes:
- Which second messenger is most closely associated with a GPCR linked to Gα_s activation?
- A receptor that directly opens an ion channel in response to ligand binding is best classified as: