Scientific Reviews
A range of review articles written by leading experts
Tocris produces a range of short review articles written by leading experts summarizing the most recent developments in research and available products. We invite you to request* your copy today.
*Please note that Tocris will only send literature to established scientific business / institute addresses.
5-HT Receptors
Neuronal 5-HT Receptors and SERT
Nicholas M. Barnes and John F. Neumaier
Written by Nicholas M. Barnes and John F. Neumaier, this review summarizes the various serotonin receptor subtypes and their importance in mediating the role of serotonin in numerous physiological and pharmacological processes. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Autophagy
Molecular Mechanisms, Physiology & Pathology
Patricia Boya and Patrice Codogno
Written by Patricia Boya and Patrice Codogno, this review summarizes the molecular mechanisms, physiology and pathology of autophagy. The role of autophagy in cell death and its links to disease are also discussed. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Cannabinoid Receptor Ligands
Roger G Pertwee, University of Aberdeen
Written by Roger Pertwee, this review discusses compounds which affect the activity of the endocannabinoid system, focusing particularly on ligands that are most widely used as experimental tools and denotes compounds available from Tocris.
Dopamine Receptors
Phillip G. Strange & Kim Neve
Written by Phillip Strange and revised by Kim Neve in 2013, this review summarizes the history of the dopamine receptors and provides an overview of individual receptor subtype properties, their distribution and identifies ligands which act at each receptor subtype. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Epigenetics
Epigenetic Probes: Open Access Drug Discovery
Susanne Müller-Knapp and Peter J. Brown
Written by Susanne Müller-Knapp and Peter J. Brown, this review gives an overview of the development of chemical probes for epigenetic targets, as well as the impact of these tool compounds being made available to the scientific community. In addition, their biological effects are also discussed. Epigenetic compounds available from Tocris are listed.
GABA Receptors
Ian Martin, Norman Bowery & Susan Dunn
Written by Ian Martin, Norman Bowery and Susan Dunn, this review provides a history of the GABA receptor, as well as discussing the structure and function of the various subtypes and the clinical potential of receptor modulators; compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Histamine Receptors
Iwan de Esch and Rob Leurs, Vrije University
Written by Iwan de Esch and Rob Leurs, this review provides a synopsis of the different histamine receptor subtypes and the ligands that act upon them; compounds available from Tocris are listed.
MAPK Signaling
MAP Kinase Pathways: Functions and Modulation
Aroon S. Karra and Melanie H. Cobb, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
MAP kinase signaling is integral to the regulation of numerous cellular processes such as proliferation and differentiation, and as a result is an important focus of cancer and immunology research. Updated for 2016, this review discusses the regulation of the MAPK pathway and properties of MAPK cascades. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors
Francine C Acher, Université René Descartes-Paris V
Written by Francine Acher, this review discusses the pharmacology and therapeutic potential of mGlu receptors, and the compounds acting upon them; compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Nicotinic ACh Receptors
Susan Wonnacott, University of Bath
Updated in 2014, this review by Sue Wonnacott summarizes the diverse structure and function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and gives an in-depth review of the ligands available for nAChR research. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
P2X and P2Y Receptors
Kenneth A. Jacobson, National Institutes of Health
Written by Kenneth Jacobson, this review provides an overview of the different subtypes and structures of the P2 receptor families, as well as the pharmacological probes used to study them; compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Peptides Involved in Appetite Modulation
Sonia A. Tucci, Lynsay Kobelis and Tim C. Kirkham, University of Liverpool
Written by Sonia Tucci, Lynsay Kobelis and Tim Kirkham, this review provides a synopsis of the increasing number of peptides that have been implicated in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis; putative roles of the major peptides are outlined and compounds available from Tocris are listed.
RAS Oncoproteins
Therapeutic Vulnerabilities
Kirsten L. Bryant, Adrienne D. Cox and Channing J. Der
Written by Kirsten L. Bryant, Adrienne D. Cox and Channing J. Der, this review provides a comprehensive overview of RAS protein function and RAS mutations in cancer. Key signaling pathways are highlighted and therapeutic vulnerabilities are explored. This review also includes a detailed section on RAS drug discovery and targeting synthetic lethal interactors of mutant RAS. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Retinoid Receptors
Pharmacology of Retinoid Receptors
Alexander R. Moise, University of Kansas
Written by Alexander Moise, this review summarizes the nature of retinoid receptors, their isotype and isoform variants and modulation of retinoid signaling. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.
Stem Cells
Using Small Molecules to Control Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation
Kirsty E. Clarke, Victoria B. Christie, Andy Whiting and Stefan A. Przyborski, Durham University
Written by Kirsty E. Clarke, Victoria B. Christie, Andy Whiting and Stefan A. Przyborski, this review provides an overview of the use of small molecules in the control of stem cell growth and differentiation. Key signaling pathways are highlighted, and the regulation of ES cell self-renewal and somatic cell reprogramming is discussed. Compounds available from Tocris are listed.