I. CCK receptors: an exemplary family

The CCK and gastrin families of peptides act as hormones and neuropeptides on central and peripheral receptors to mediate secretion and motility in the gastrointestinal tract in the physiological response to a normal meal. Thus far, two CCK receptors have been molecularly identified to mediate the actions of CCK and gastrin, CCK-A and CCK-B receptors (CCK-AR and CCK-BR, respectively). The regulation of CCK-AR and CCK-BR affinity by guanine nucleotides and the receptor activation of G protein-dependent stimulation of phospholipase C and adenylyl cyclase suggested that they were guanine nucleotide-binding protein-coupled receptors [G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)]; however, the eventual cloning of their cDNAs revealed their heptahelical structure and confirmed their membership in the GPCR superfamily. The gastrointestinal system is a rich source of neuroendocrine hormones that interact with a large number of GPCRs to regulate the complex tasks of digestion, absorption, and excretion of a meal. This article focuses on the CCK family of GPCRs, and its activities in the gastrointestinal system.