Inositol phosphates are a group of mono- to polyphosphorylated inositol

Inositol

Inositol or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a chemical compound with formula 6126 or 6, a sixfold alcohol of cyclohexane. It exists in nine possible stereoisomers, of which the most prominent form, widely occurring in nature, is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, or myo-inositol...

s. They play crucial roles in diverse cellular functions, such as cell growth, apoptosis, cell migration, endocytosis, and cell differentiation.
The group comprises:

• inositol monophosphate (IP)
• inositol trisphosphate
  Inositol triphosphate
  Inositol trisphosphate or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate , together with diacylglycerol , is a secondary messenger molecule used in signal transduction and lipid signaling in biological cells. While DAG stays inside the membrane, IP3 is soluble and diffuses through the cell...
  
   (IP₃)
• inositol pentakisphosphate
  Inositol pentakisphosphate
  Inositol pentakisphosphate is a molecule derived from inositol tetrakisphosphate by adding a phosphate group with the help of inositol polyphosphate multikinase . It is believed to be one of the many second messengers in the inositol phosphate family...
  
   (IP₅)
• inositol hexaphosphate (IP₆)

Inositol triphosphate

Inositol trisphosphates act on the inositol triphosphate receptor

Inositol triphosphate receptor

Inositol trisphosphate receptor is a membrane glycoprotein complex acting as Ca2+ channel activated by inositol trisphosphate . InsP3R is very diverse among organisms, and is necessary for the control of cellular and physiological processes including cell division, cell proliferation, apoptosis,...

 to release calcium into the cytoplasm. Further reading: Function of calcium in humans

Other

Inositol tetra-, penta-

Inositol pentakisphosphate

Inositol pentakisphosphate is a molecule derived from inositol tetrakisphosphate by adding a phosphate group with the help of inositol polyphosphate multikinase . It is believed to be one of the many second messengers in the inositol phosphate family...

, and hexa-phosphates have been implicated in gene expression

Gene expression

Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...

and Steger (both in Science Magazine).

External links

• An Image of Inositol