Repropedia

A Reproductive Lexicon

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receptor

A receptor is a protein molecule on the surface or interior of a cell that allows it to recognize specific molecules like hormones, reversibly bind to them, and respond with a change in the cell or in the chemicals it produces. The receptors are involved in the first step of a cascade also involving transducers and effectors that allow cells to capture, translate, and respond to chemical signals from within the body or from the environment.