Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Alpha Subunit 4 is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
CHRNA4 encodes the alpha 4 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel that mediates fast synaptic transmission. The α4β2 nicotinic receptor is the most abundant nicotinic receptor in the brain and is critical for cognitive function, attention, and reward processing. CHRNA4 mutations cause autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE). The receptor is a therapeutic target for smoking cessation and cognitive enhancement. [1]
| Property | Value | [2]
|----------|-------| [3]
| Gene Symbol | CHRNA4 |
| Full Name | Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Alpha Subunit 4 |
| Chromosomal Location | 20q13.31 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 1137 |
| OMIM | 118504 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00001202073 |
| UniProt ID | P43681 |
Nicotinic α4β2 receptor function:
The study of Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Alpha Subunit 4 has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel:
CHRNA4 shows region-specific expression:
[^3- cAMP/PKA: Modulat- MAPK/ERK: Downstream signaling cascade