Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-10, also known as nAChRα10 and cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 10, is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''CHRNA10''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
The protein encoded by this gene is a subunit of certain
nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchR).
This nAchR subunit is required for the normal function of the
olivocochlear system
The olivocochlear system is a component of the auditory system involved with the descending control of the cochlea. Its nerve fibres, the olivocochlear bundle (OCB), form part of the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIIIth cranial nerve, also known as the ...
which is part of the
auditory system
The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing. It includes both the sensory organs (the ears) and the auditory parts of the sensory system.
System overview
The outer ear funnels sound vibrations to the eardrum, increasin ...
.
Furthermore, selective block of α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by the
conotoxin RgIA has been shown to be analgesic in an animal model of
nerve injury pain.
α10 subunit-containing receptors are notably blocked by nicotine. The role of this antagonism in the effects of tobacco are unknown.
References
External links
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{{Ligand-gated ion channels
Ion channels
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors