Invitrogen™ MC4R Polyclonal Antibody

Expression of MC4R has been reported in brain. Unlike the other melanocortin receptors, MC4R is not expressed in adrenal cortex or in melanocytes. G-protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) comprise one of the largest families of signaling molecules with more than a thousand members currently predicted to exist. All GPCRs share a structural motif consisting of seven membrane-spanning helices, and exist in both active and inactive forms. An array of activating ligands participate in the conformation of GPCRs which leads to signaling via G-proteins and downstream effectors. Ongoing studies have also shown the vast series of reactions which participate in the negative regulation of GPCRs. This turn-off activity has tremendous implications for the physiological action of the cell, and continues to drive pharmacological research for new drug candidates. Two blockbuster drugs which have been developed as GPCR-targeted pharmaceuticals are Zyprexa (Eli Lilly) and Claritin (Schering-Plough) which have multi-billion dollar shares of the mental health and allergy markets, respectively.