King-Anubis
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2012
- Messages
- 175
Hey everyone,
I Have a passing interest in pharmacology, but one thing I've never understood properly is what affinity is. I see it referenced commonly and was hoping someone could give me a brief explanation, with the knowledge that I don't have a background in biology or chemistry - rather mathematics and physics :S
Hopefully I don't sound too dumb, but from what I can gather the higher the affinity of a substance the stronger it binds to a given receptor. But does a substance with a higher affinity provoke a stronger response from the aformentioned receptor?
Furthermore, if this is the case, can a substance with a higher affinity 'displace' one with a lower affinity? For example... if substance A has a lower affinity then substance B, then would substance B displace substance A? I guess I could use the comparison of codeine and morphine (Substance A and B respectively). If I took codeine, which would bind to my opiate receptors, would taking morphine then displace codeine or just bind to free receptors?
Thanks in advance!![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I Have a passing interest in pharmacology, but one thing I've never understood properly is what affinity is. I see it referenced commonly and was hoping someone could give me a brief explanation, with the knowledge that I don't have a background in biology or chemistry - rather mathematics and physics :S
Hopefully I don't sound too dumb, but from what I can gather the higher the affinity of a substance the stronger it binds to a given receptor. But does a substance with a higher affinity provoke a stronger response from the aformentioned receptor?
Furthermore, if this is the case, can a substance with a higher affinity 'displace' one with a lower affinity? For example... if substance A has a lower affinity then substance B, then would substance B displace substance A? I guess I could use the comparison of codeine and morphine (Substance A and B respectively). If I took codeine, which would bind to my opiate receptors, would taking morphine then displace codeine or just bind to free receptors?
Thanks in advance!