MOBILE RECEPTOR HYPOTHESIS IN HORMONE ACTION - GENERAL-MODEL ACCOUNTING FOR DESENSITIZATION

Abstract

The characteristics of the hormone interaction with their cell receptors and of the related adenylate cyclase activation are complex. Among the theoretical models which were proposed to account for this mechanism, the mobile or floating receptor model was discussed. In this work several particular models are deduced from the general mobile receptor model on the basis of thermodynamic considerations. The analysis of some of these models shows that the mobile receptor hypothesis contains in itself the little understood kinetic phenomenon of hormone desensitization. [Frog erythrocyte membrane adenylate cyclase is discussed].