Figure 8. The “snail-tong” mechanism of p75NTR activation in response to neurotrophins.
Hypothetical schematic of p75NTR in the cell membrane before and after neurotrophin binding (adapted from Gong et al. (2008) and Liepinsh et al. (1997)). The approximate position of Cys257 is indicated. Arrows denote the postulated “snail-tong” movement of p75NTR subunits initiated by ligand binding: closing onto the neurotrophin dimer in the outside, opening in the inside.