The glycine receptor complex is permeable to Cl- when glycine binds to it Authored: Jassal, B, 2010-09-24 Edited: Jassal, B, 2010-09-24 Pubmed2155780 Pubmed8717357 Pubmed9677400 Reactome Database ID Release 43975389 Reactome, http://www.reactome.org ReactomeREACT_25304 Reviewed: He, L, 2010-11-15 The glycine receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel. It is functional as a heteropentamer, consisting of alpha and beta subunits. With no ligand bound, the receptor complex is closed to chloride ions. Binding of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine to this receptor complex increases chloride conductance into neurons and thus produces hyperpolarization (inhibition of neuronal firing) (Grenningloh et al 1990; Nikolic et al, 1998; Handford et al, 1996).