noun
agonist
AG-uh-nist/ˈæɡʌnɪst/
A substance that activates a receptor to produce a biological response.
The experiment measures how an agonist activates the receptor.
Etymology
Greek agōnistēs meant a competitor or someone striving for something. The supplied evidence establishes this older image of struggle, but does not explain how the word came to denote a receptor-activating substance.
In context
The first one is a partial µ receptor agonist called Buprenorphine. So, while a full opioid agonist binds to the µ receptor, activates it by changing its shape and thus induces a full receptor response
More examples
- Different agonists can produce different levels of receptor activity.
- The researchers compared the agonist with a receptor blocker.
- This agonist binds to a receptor on the cell's surface.
Forms
agonist · agonists
Similar words
- activator
- Is a broader term for something that initiates biological activity.
- ligand
- Binds to a target but need not activate it.