Skip to main content
  • 160 Accesses

Dirk Gründemann, Edgar Schömig

Department of Pharmacology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

dirk.gruendemann@uni-koeln.de,

edgar.schoemig@medizin.uni-koeln.de

Synonyms

Non-neuronal monoamine transporters

Definition

Cellular membranes are virtually impenetrable to charged organic compounds, so dedicated integral membrane proteins must be present to allow passage of a variety of endogenous organic compounds and drugs. Transport of organic cations across cellular membranes was first identified in the kidney. The proximal tubule efficiently clears model compounds like TEA and N1-methylnicotinamide (see Fig. 1) from the blood by trans-epithelial secretion into urine. Secretion of organic cations is thought to serve in the elimination or detoxification of metabolites and xenobiotics (such as many drugs positively charged at physiological pH). The term “organic cation transporters” (OCT) originally refers to two distinct mechanisms identified and characterized by radiotracer...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 270.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Gründemann D, Gorboulev V, Gambaryan S, Veyhl M, Koepsell H (1994) Drug excretion mediated by a new prototype of polyspecific transporter. Nature 372:549–552

    Article  PubMed  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gründemann D, Schechinger B, Rappold GA, Schömig E (1998) Molecular identification of the corticosterone-sensitive extraneuronal monoamine transporter. Nature Neurosci. 1:349–351

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Sweet DH, Pritchard JB (1999) The molecular biology of renal organic anion and organic cation transporters. Cell Biochem. Biophys. 31:89–118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Koepsell H (1998) Organic cation transporters in intestine, kidney, liver, and brain. In: Hoffmann JF (ed) Annu. Rev. Physiol. Annual Reviews, Palo Alto, California, p243–266

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gründemann D, Liebich G, Kiefer N, Köster S, Schömig E (1999) Selective substrates for non-neuronal monoamine transporters. Mol. Pharmacol. 56:1–10

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2004 Springer-Verlag

About this entry

Cite this entry

(2004). Organic Cation Transporters. In: Encyclopedic Reference of Molecular Pharmacology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29832-0_1180

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29832-0_1180

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-42843-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29832-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics