Receptor

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɹɪˈsÉ›ptÉ™/

Alternative forms

• receptour obsolete, rare

Origin

From Old French receptour or Latin receptor.

Full definition of receptor

Noun

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: 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. — Leslie Iversen, Drugs: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2001, p. 24)
2. (biology) Any specialized cell or structure that responds to sensory stimuli.

Derived terms

• acetylcholine receptor
• counterreceptor

Related terms

• effector