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IP3

Meaning

IP3 is the biochemical abbreviation for Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, a crucial second messenger molecule utilized in the signal transduction pathways of numerous hormones and neurotransmitters. This small, soluble molecule is rapidly produced in the cytoplasm following the binding of a hormonal ligand to its cell-surface receptor. IP3’s primary function is to act as a chemical signal to rapidly mobilize stored calcium ions from the endoplasmic reticulum, initiating a cascade of intracellular events.