receptor
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ɹɪˈsɛp.tə/
  • (GA) IPA: /ɹʷɪˈsɛp.tɚ/
Noun

receptor (plural receptors)

  1. (biochemistry, medicine) A protein on a cell wall that binds with specific molecules so that they can be absorbed into the cell in order to control certain functions.
    • 2001, Leslie Iversen, Drugs: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2001, p. 24)
      In the target organ, the drug is recognised by ‘receptors’. These are large molecules, usually proteins, to which the drug binds tightly and with a high degree of specificity.
  2. (biology) Any specialized cell or structure that responds to sensory stimuli.
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