Opiates are among the oldest medications available to manage a number of medical
problems. Although pain is the current focus, early use initially focused upon the treatment of …

▪ Abstract Opioid receptors belong to the large superfamily of seven transmembrane-
spanning (7TM) G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). As a class, GPCRs are of …

The use of opioid analgesics has a long history in clinical settings, although the
comprehensive action of opioid receptors is still less understood. Nonetheless, recent …

Although opioids are highly effective for the treatment of pain, they are also known to be
intensely addictive. There has been a massive research investment in the development of …

Morphine is used to treat pain in several medical conditions including cancer. Here we
showthat morphine, in a concentration typical of that observed in patients' blood, stimulates …

Cloning of multiple opioid receptors has presented opportunities to investigate the
mechanisms of multiple opioid receptor signaling and the regulation of these signals. The …

This review summarizes recent findings on peripheral mechanisms underlying the
generation and inhibition of pain. The focus is on events occurring in peripheral injured …

Obesity represents nowadays one of the most devastating health threats. Published reports
even project a decline in life expectancy of US citizens due to the rapidly increasing …

Recycling of the mu opioid receptor to the plasma membrane after endocytosis promotes
rapid resensitization of signal transduction, whereas targeting of the delta opioid receptor …

Opioid peptides act as growth factors in neural and non-neural cells and tissues, in addition
to serving for neurotransmission/neuromodulation in the nervous system. The native opioid …