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Biology

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What are Nicotinic Receptors?

H. Bliss
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Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 19,408
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Also called nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nicotinic receptors are cells that respond to nicotine, a neurotransmitter. These cells function mainly in the autonomic nervous system of the body. Nicotinic receptors are a type of acetylcholine receptor, which can also be called a cholinergic receptor. A receptor is a part of a cell that attaches to certain chemicals in a process called binding, which triggers the cell to react within the body. In addition to nicotine, the action of nicotinic receptors is triggered by acetylcholine (ACh), another common neurotransmitter.

When nicotine triggers nicotinic receptors, its molecules are considered to be ligands, or types of molecules that trigger receptors. Varieties of receptor-triggering ligands include inhibitors, neurotransmitters, activators, and substrates. Aside from the ACh that triggers nicotinic receptors, other types of neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Nicotinic receptors also fall under the category of an ionotropic receptor. An ionotropic receptor is a type of receptor that converts the ligand into an electrical signal. With their quick-fire means of function, ionotropic receptors are in contrast with metabotropic receptors. Metabotropic receptors send their biological messages through the cell using a somewhat slower diffusion of chemicals throughout the body of the cell in which the receptor is located. One example of a metabotropic receptor is the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, a receptor charged with regulating the distribution of acetylcholine in the body, as well as other tasks within the body and brain.

Cholinergic receptors are a type of autonomic receptor that are activated by ACh, which mainly work on organs and vital processes like the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Parts of the autonomic system include the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, and the enteric nervous system. Generally, the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for responses to threats, often called fight-or-flight responses. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for bodily functions performed at rest, like digestion and bodily waste removal processes, particularly those in the bladder. A little-understood part of the body, the enteric nervous system is a complicated system of nerves responsible for advanced functions related to digestion and digestive organs.

The muscarinic receptor and the nicotinic receptor are the two major types of cholinergic receptor, another name for an acetylcholine receptor. Though muscarinic receptors primarily respond to muscarine, they do also respond to nicotine to a lesser degree. Muscarine has been isolated as a chemical in some types of mushrooms, though they are usually unsafe to eat.

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H. Bliss
By H. Bliss
Heather Bliss, a passionate writer with a background in communication, brings her love for connecting with others to her work. With a relevant degree, she crafts compelling content that informs and inspires, showcasing her unique perspective and her commitment to making a difference.
Discussion Comments
By jonrss — On Nov 08, 2011

@gravois - I am right there with you. I don't feel like I have a monkey on my back, I feel like I have a whale on my back. But this article got me thinking. Would it be possible to somehow treat the nicotonic receptors so that they did not respond to nicotine as well as they do naturally?

I am not a doctor and was always pretty bad at science so I am definitely not the person to investigate this issue. But if we have a special part of our bodies that responds to nicotine, maybe its possible to just turn it off. If I had a smoke and didn't get any buzz that would probably be the last cigarette I ever smoked.

By gravois — On Nov 07, 2011

I have been a smoker for almost 25 years. I don't know if that means I have great nicotonic receptors or really bad ones but they have seen a lot of use over the years.

I would like to quit. As a matter of fact I am pretty desperate to quit. But I have never made it beyond a week before I cave in and the habit always comes back as strong as ever. Really, at this point I wish that I could just jump in a time machine and tell my 16 year old self to never start.

H. Bliss
H. Bliss
Heather Bliss, a passionate writer with a background in communication, brings her love for connecting with others to her...
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