ABSTRACT

The GABAA receptor (GABAR) is a heteropentameric membrane glycoprotein with membrane-spanning, extracellular and intracellular regions (Figure 9.1). All subunit members of the ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) are about 50kDa and share a common structural model, based on hydropathy plots. The first N-terminal half of the

Figure 9.1 Schematic drawing of postulated ligand-gated ion channel receptor structure, including GABAR, with heteropentamer showing membrane topography and various ligand binding sites (modified from Olsen and Tobin, 1990).