<p>A ligand is any molecule that can bind to a receptor. A receptor is always a protein. A ligand can be a protein, but also something else, be it a combination of protein with carbohydrates and-or fats, or just molecules such as cyclic AMP, any chemical compound, structures expressed on the cell surface, pretty much any structure you can think of.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-13T12:36:54.667Z
Not only receptor, it may be any protein (as haemoglobine). The term in molecular biology has not a strict definition unlike inorganic chemistry. But it is rare when we look at proteins as ligands (usually little oligopeptides). Commonly it is named as hetero-oligomeric complexes.
Vovin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-13T08:55:56.667Z
2022-06-13T08:55:56.667Z
Imperius Imperatur
<p>Is ligand a type of protein or vice versa?</p>

<proteins>
What is the basic difference between a protein and a ligand?
# What is the basic difference between a protein and a ligand?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-12)

Is ligand a type of protein or vice versa?

**Tags:** proteins

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-06-13. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

A ligand is any molecule that can bind to a receptor. A receptor is always a protein. A ligand can be a protein, but also something else, be it a combination of protein with carbohydrates and-or fats, or just molecules such as cyclic AMP, any chemical compound, structures expressed on the cell surface, pretty much any structure you can think of.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Not only receptor, it may be any protein (as haemoglobine). The term in molecular biology has not a strict definition unlike inorganic chemistry. But it is rare when we look at proteins as ligands (usually little oligopeptides). Commonly it is named as hetero-oligomeric complexes.  

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