Definition
Decoy receptors recognize certain growth factors (such as vascular endothelial growth factor) or cytokines with high affinity and specificity but are structurally incapable of signaling or presenting the agonist to signaling receptor complexes. They act as a molecular trap for the agonist and for signaling receptor components. A decoy receptor, or sink receptor, is a receptor that binds a ligand, inhibiting it from binding to its normal receptor. For instance, the receptor VEGFR-1 can prevent vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from binding to the VEGFR-2.
Cross-References
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Schwab, M. (2015). Decoy Receptor. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_6693-2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_6693-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences