The HTR2C antibody is a research tool designed to target the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2C (HTR2C), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) primarily activated by serotonin. HTR2C is widely expressed in the central nervous system, particularly in regions like the choroid plexus, hypothalamus, and hippocampus, where it modulates mood, appetite, sleep, and cognitive functions. Dysregulation of HTR2C signaling has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and obesity.
HTR2C antibodies are critical for studying receptor localization, expression levels, and functional interactions in tissues or cell models. They are commonly used in techniques such as Western blotting, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and flow cytometry. Many commercially available HTR2C antibodies are raised against specific epitopes, often within extracellular or intracellular domains, and validated for reactivity in human, rat, or mouse samples. However, challenges persist due to high sequence homology (~50-80%) among 5-HT2 receptor subtypes (HTR2A, HTR2B, HTR2C), necessitating rigorous validation via knockout controls or orthogonal methods (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9-edited cells) to confirm specificity.
Recent studies emphasize HTR2C's role in drug development, particularly for obesity (e.g., lorcaserin, a former HTR2C agonist) and mental health therapies. Antibodies thus serve as essential tools to dissect receptor dynamics, ligand binding mechanisms, and downstream signaling pathways in both physiological and disease contexts.