247 results about "Allosteric modulator" patented technology

In pharmacology and biochemistry, allosteric modulators are a group of substances. Some of them, like benzodiazepines, are drugs. A modulator binds to a site in some receptor. This site (i.e., an allosteric site) is not the same one to which an endogenous activator of the receptor would bind (i.e., an orthosteric site). This natural activator could be a neurotransmitter. Receptor activators and inactivators are called agonists. Modulators are either positive, negative or neutral. Positive types increase and negative types lower the probability that an agonist will bind to a receptor (i.e. affinity) and/or its ability activate/inactivate the receptor (i.e. efficacy). Neutral types don't affect agonist activity, but can stop other modulators from binding to a receptor. Some modulators also works as allosteric agonists. Modulators and agonists can be called receptor ligands.