Membrane estrogen receptors (mERs) are a group of

receptor Receptor may refer to: *Sensory receptor, in physiology, any structure which, on receiving environmental stimuli, produces an informative nerve impulse *Receptor (biochemistry), in biochemistry, a protein molecule that receives and responds to a n ...

s which bind

estrogen Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal ac ...

. Unlike the

estrogen receptor Estrogen receptors (ERs) are a group of proteins found inside cells. They are receptors that are activated by the hormone estrogen (17β-estradiol). Two classes of ER exist: nuclear estrogen receptors ( ERα and ERβ), which are members of the ...

(ER), a

nuclear receptor In the field of molecular biology, nuclear receptors are a class of proteins responsible for sensing steroid hormone, steroids, thyroid hormone, thyroid hormones, vitamins, and certain other molecules. These receptors work with other proteins to ...

which mediates its effects via

genomic Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, three-dim ...

mechanisms, mERs are

cell surface receptor Cell surface receptors (membrane receptors, transmembrane receptors) are receptors that are embedded in the plasma membrane of cells. They act in cell signaling by receiving (binding to) extracellular molecules. They are specialized integral m ...

s which rapidly alter

cell signaling In biology, cell signaling (cell signalling in British English) or cell communication is the ability of a cell to receive, process, and transmit signals with its environment and with itself. Cell signaling is a fundamental property of all cellula ...

via modulation of

intracellular This glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms. It is intended as introductory material for novices; for more specific and technical definitions ...

signaling cascade A biochemical cascade, also known as a signaling cascade or signaling pathway, is a series of chemical reactions that occur within a biological cell when initiated by a stimulus. This stimulus, known as a first messenger, acts on a receptor tha ...

s. Putative mERs include membrane-associated ERα (mERα) and ERβ (mERβ), GPER (GPR30),

GPRC6A G protein-coupled receptor family C group 6 member A (GPRC6A) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''GPRC6A'' gene. This protein functions as a receptor of L-α-amino acids, cations (e.g., calcium), osteocalcin, and steroids. It is a me ...

, ER-X, ERx and G_q-mER.Min Pi, Abby L Parrill, L Darryl Quarles (2010). "GPRC6A mediates the non-genomic effects of steroids". J Biol Chem. 285 (51): 39953-64. doi:10.1074/jbc.M110.158063. PMC 3000977. The mERs have been reviewed.

References

G protein-coupled receptors Human proteins Human female endocrine system {{receptor-stub

See also

References