New Hot Paper Comment by Jerold Chun, M.D., Ph.D.

Jerold Chun, M.D., Ph.D. answers a few questions about this month's new hot paper in the field of Pharmacology & Toxicology.

From •>>May 2003

Field: Pharmacology & Toxicology
Article Title: "Lysophospholipid receptors"
Authors: Fukushima, N;Ishii, I;Contos, JJA;Weiner, JA;Chun, J
Journal: ANNU REV PHARMACOL TOXICOL
Volume: 41:
Page: 507-534
Year: 2001
* Univ Calif San Diego, Dept Pharmacol, Program Neurosci, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA.
* Univ Calif San Diego, Dept Pharmacol, Program Neurosci, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA.

Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

This is a review of an area of increasing scientific interest.

Does it describe a new discovery or a new methodology that is useful to others?

It consolidates information from a number of different areas.

Could you summarize the significance of your paper in layman’s terms?

Small fat molecules can act as specific signals for many cells of the body by binding to "receptors"—proteins that transmit information from the outside of a cell to the inside. This review provides a comprehensive view of a special family of receptors that interacts with fats known as "lysophospholipids." Lysophospholipid receptors represent a new influence on a variety of biological systems including the nervous system, immune system, and cardiovascular system.

How did you become involved in this research?

Our laboratory cloned and functionally identified the first lysophospholipid receptor.

Jerold Chun, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neuroscience
Dept. of Molecular Biology
The Scripps Research Institute
La Jolla, California, USA

ESI Special Topics, May 2003
Citing URL - http://www.esi-topics.com/nhp/2003/may-03-JeroldChun.html