CHRNA4, Official Symbol CHRNA4provided by HGNC Official Full Name cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 4 subunitprovided by HGNC Primary source HGNC:HGNC:1958 See related Ensembl:ENSG00000101204 MIM:118504; AllianceGenome:HGNC:1958 Gene type protein coding RefSeq status REVIEWED Organism Homo sapiens Lineage Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo Also known as EBN; BFNC; EBN1; NACHR; NACRA4; NACHRA4 Summary This gene encodes a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, which belongs to a superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels that play a role in fast signal transmission at synapses. These pentameric receptors can bind acetylcholine, which causes an extensive change in conformation that leads to the opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane. This protein is an integral membrane receptor subunit that can interact with either nAChR beta-2 or nAChR beta-4 to form a functional receptor. Mutations in this gene cause nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy type 1. Polymorphisms in this gene that provide protection against nicotine addiction have been described. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2012] Expression Biased expression in liver (RPKM 3.9), brain (RPKM 3.0) and 4 other tissues See more Orthologs mouse all