Adenosine Cyclophosphate
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Molecular Structure
Detailed Description
It is an important second messenger. It forms, as shown, when the membrane enzyme adenylyl cyclase is activated.The cyclic AMP then goes on the activate specific proteins. Some ion channels, for example, are gated by cyclic AMP. But an especially important protein activated by cyclic AMP is protein kinase A, which goes on the phosphorylate certain cellular proteins. The scheme below shows how cyclic AMP activates protein kinase A.
- Adenosine Cyclophosphate