Single-channel kinetic analysis of chimeric a7-5HT3A receptors

Abstract- The receptor chimera α7-5HT 3A has served as a prototype for understanding the pharmacology of α7 neuronal nicotinic receptors, yet its low single channel conductance has prevented studies of the activation kinetics of single receptor channels. Here we show that introducing mutations in the M3-M4 cytoplasmic linker of the chimera alters neither the apparent affinity for the agonist nor the EC 50 , but increases the amplitude of agonist