About the Cover
Cover picture: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
(nAChRs) are pentameric cation channels made of combinations of related subunits (illustrated by computer-generated graphics). Stimulation of
presynaptic nAChRs leads to dopamine release, but the molecular composition of the responsible receptor(s) is unknown. A small peptide,
-conotoxin MII (green), from the venom of the carnivorous snail Conus magus (inset) blocks one-third to
one-half of nicotine-stimulated dopamine release in rat striatum. These
results and the specificity of -conotoxin MII indicate that dopamine
release is mediated, in part, by nAChRs with at least one 3
2
subunit interface (red, blue). The composition of
the remaining nAChR subunits as well as the other receptor subtypes
have yet to be determined (light brown). For details, see
the article by Kulak et al. in this issue (pp. 5263-5270).
Illustration by Zoya Maslak, using the University of Utah Center for
High Performance Computing. Shell photo by Kerry Matz.
[Table of Contents]
Copyright © 2006 by Society for Neuroscience.
