Inner Sanctum

Reagents for Nuclear Hormone Receptor Research Courtesy of Karo Bio ABEffect of an agonist (red spheres) or agonist/antagonist (green spheres) on the C terminal helix of the ligand binding domain of the estrogen receptor The survival of a living system depends on its ability to communicate with and respond to its surroundings. Even the simplest unicellular organism has surface molecules for assessing the external environment. Evolution of complex life forms required intricate methods for respo

Written byJeanne Mcadara

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Reagents for Nuclear Hormone Receptor Research

Courtesy of Karo Bio AB

Effect of an agonist (red spheres) or agonist/antagonist (green spheres) on the C terminal helix of the ligand binding domain of the estrogen receptor

The survival of a living system depends on its ability to communicate with and respond to its surroundings. Even the simplest unicellular organism has surface molecules for assessing the external environment. Evolution of complex life forms required intricate methods for responding to environmental changes, maintaining homeostasis, and controlling health and development.

Unlike receptors found on the cell surface, members of the nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) superfamily are restricted to metazoan organisms such as nematodes, insects, and vertebrates.1 These proteins are intracellular transcription factors that directly regulate gene expression in response to lipophilic molecules. They affect a wide variety of functions, including fatty acid metabolism, reproductive development, and detoxification of foreign substances. Because of the ubiquitous and ...

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