Kappa opioid receptor

Kappa Opioid Receptor

The Kappa Opioid Receptor (KOR) is a type of opioid receptor in the human body. Pronounced as "ka-pa o-pee-oid re-cep-tor", it is one of the four related receptors that bind opioid compounds in the brain, the others being the mu-opioid receptor, delta opioid receptor, and nociceptin receptor.

Etymology

The term "Kappa" is derived from the Greek letter κ (kappa), which is used in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) nomenclature of organic chemistry for the designation of sequence order in a carbon chain. The term "Opioid" is derived from "opium", which in turn comes from the Greek word "opion", meaning "poppy juice". The term "Receptor" comes from the Latin "receptus", meaning "received".

Function

The Kappa Opioid Receptor is involved in a variety of physiological processes, including pain perception, mood regulation, and the stress response. When activated by an opioid, such as the endogenous peptide dynorphin, it can produce analgesia, sedation, and a decrease in respiratory rate.

Related Terms

• Opioid: A broad class of drugs that includes natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic substances. They are so named because they are chemically related to opium.
• Dynorphin: An endogenous opioid peptide that acts as a ligand for the Kappa Opioid Receptor.
• Naloxone: A medication used to block the effects of opioids. It works by binding to opioid receptors, including the Kappa Opioid Receptor, without activating them.
• Opioid Receptor: A type of protein that is embedded in the membrane of a neuron (or other cell type) and that binds opioids.

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