The thromboxane receptor (TP) is a protein on the surface of cell

Cell (biology)

The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....

s in the endothelium

Endothelium

The endothelium is the thin layer of cells that lines the interior surface of blood vessels, forming an interface between circulating blood in the lumen and the rest of the vessel wall. These cells are called endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line the entire circulatory system, from the heart...

 of blood vessels and in the placenta

Placenta

The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. "True" placentas are a defining characteristic of eutherian or "placental" mammals, but are also found in some snakes and...

 which interacts with the eicosanoid

Eicosanoid

In biochemistry, eicosanoids are signaling molecules made by oxidation of twenty-carbon essential fatty acids, ....

 lipid thromboxane

Thromboxane

Thromboxane is a member of the family of lipids known as eicosanoids. The two major thromboxanes are thromboxane A2 and thromboxane B2. The distinguishing feature of thromboxanes is a 6-membered ether-containing ring....

. It is a G-protein coupled receptor coupled to the G protein

G protein

G proteins are a family of proteins involved in transmitting chemical signals outside the cell, and causing changes inside the cell. They communicate signals from many hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling factors. G protein-coupled receptors are transmembrane receptors...

 G_q

Gq alpha subunit

Gq protein or Gq/11 is a heterotrimeric G protein subunit that activates phospholipase C . PLC in turn hydrolyzes Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to diacyl glycerol and inositol triphosphate signal transduction pathway...

.

Gene

The gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

 responsible for the thromboxane receptor, TBXA2R is found on chromosome 19 and spans 15 kilobases. Thromboxane is a potent stimulator for platelet

Platelet

Platelets, or thrombocytes , are small,irregularly shaped clear cell fragments , 2–3 µm in diameter, which are derived from fragmentation of precursor megakaryocytes.  The average lifespan of a platelet is normally just 5 to 9 days...

 aggregation and clot formation and also plays a role in vascular tone. The thromboxane receptor is a member of the family of G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptor

G protein-coupled receptors , also known as seven-transmembrane domain receptors, 7TM receptors, heptahelical receptors, serpentine receptor, and G protein-linked receptors , comprise a large protein family of transmembrane receptors that sense molecules outside the cell and activate inside signal...

s. Mutation of the receptor can lead to a bleeding disorder.

Antagonists

Thromboxane receptor antagonists are used as antiplatelet drug

Antiplatelet drug

An antiplatelet drug is a member of a class of pharmaceuticals that decrease platelet aggregation and inhibit thrombus formation...

s. An example is terutroban

Terutroban

Terutroban is an antiplatelet agent developed by Servier Laboratories. , it is being tested for the secondary prevention of acute thrombotic complications in the Phase III clinical trial PERFORM .-Method of...

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Further reading