G-protein coupled receptors

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are essential for many processes. What receptors are GPCRs?

Before I get into this further, I must say that sometimes it's the dirty mnemonics that you remember best. That being said, I've created a mnemonic to memorize which receptors are GPCRs.

"Αlpha and βeta Males Don't Hate Vagina."

Receptors: Alpha, Beta, Muscarinic, Dopamine, Histamine, Vasopressin.

More facts you will need to memorize are to what class the G proteins belong. That is to say, if the G proteins that are coupled to the receptors are Gs (stimulatory), Gi (inhibitory), or Gq. Gs and Gi use Adenylate Cyclase as their effector and Calcium as their second messenger, while Gq receptors use Phospholipase C as their effector and IP3 and DAG as their second messengers.

Here is an easy mnemonic. Important: line up the receptors according to the above mnemonic (Alpha and Beta Males Don't Hate Vagina)

"qiss and qiq til you're siq of sqs" (kiss and kick til you're sick of sex)

α1   -   q
α2   -   i
β1   -   s
β2   -   s

M1  -   q
M2  -   i
M3  -   q

D1  -   s
D2  -   i
H1  -   q

H2  -   s
V1  -   q
V2  -   s

2 mnemonics for the price of one. Awesome.