Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Inositol triphosphate
Inositol triphosphate (also commonly known as inositol trisphosphate or triphosphoinositol; abbreviated InsP3 or IP3), together with diacylglycerol, is a second messenger molecule used in signal transduction in biological cells. It is made by hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol, a phospholipid that is located in the plasma membrane, by phospholipase C.
Its main functions are to mobilize Ca2+ from storage organelles and to regulate cell proliferation and other cellular reactions. For example, in the fruit fly Drosophila, InsP3 is used for intracellular transduction of light recognition in eye cells.
10-26-2009 08:16:03
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details