Members of the SLC16 family may be divided into subfamilies on the basis of substrate selectivities, particularly lactate (e.g. L-lactic acid), pyruvic acid and ketone bodies, as well as aromatic amino acids. Topology modelling suggests 12 TM domains, with intracellular termini and an extended loop at TM 6/7.

The proton-coupled monocarboxylate transporters (monocarboxylate transporters 1, 4, 2 and 3) allow transport of the products of cellular metabolism, principally lactate (e.g. L-lactic acid) and pyruvic acid.

MCT1 and MCT2, but not MCT3 and MCT4, are inhibited by CHC, which also inhibits members of the mitochondrial transporter family, SLC25.

MCT5-MCT7, MCT9 and MCT11-14 are regarded as orphan transporters.

* Key recommended reading is highlighted with an asterisk

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Braun D, Wirth EK, Schweizer U. (2010) Thyroid hormone transporters in the brain. Rev Neurosci, 21 (3): 173-86. [PMID:20879691]

* Felmlee MA, Jones RS, Rodriguez-Cruz V, Follman KE, Morris ME. (2020) Monocarboxylate Transporters (SLC16): Function, Regulation, and Role in Health and Disease. Pharmacol Rev, 72 (2): 466-485. [PMID:32144120]

Friesema EC, Visser WE, Visser TJ. (2010) Genetics and phenomics of thyroid hormone transport by MCT8. Mol Cell Endocrinol, 322 (1-2): 107-13. [PMID:20083155]

* Halestrap AP. (2013) The SLC16 gene family - structure, role and regulation in health and disease. Mol Aspects Med, 34 (2-3): 337-49. [PMID:23506875]

Halestrap AP, Meredith D. (2004) The SLC16 gene family-from monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) to aromatic amino acid transporters and beyond. Pflugers Arch, 447 (5): 619-28. [PMID:12739169]

Heuer H, Visser TJ. (2009) Minireview: Pathophysiological importance of thyroid hormone transporters. Endocrinology, 150 (3): 1078-83. [PMID:19179441]

Jansen J, Friesema EC, Milici C, Visser TJ. (2005) Thyroid hormone transporters in health and disease. Thyroid, 15 (8): 757-68. [PMID:16131319]

* Jones RS, Morris ME. (2016) Monocarboxylate Transporters: Therapeutic Targets and Prognostic Factors in Disease. Clin Pharmacol Ther, 100 (5): 454-463. [PMID:27351344]

Meredith D, Christian HC. (2008) The SLC16 monocaboxylate transporter family. Xenobiotica, 38 (7-8): 1072-106. [PMID:18668440]

Morris ME, Felmlee MA. (2008) Overview of the proton-coupled MCT (SLC16A) family of transporters: characterization, function and role in the transport of the drug of abuse gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. AAPS J, 10 (2): 311-21. [PMID:18523892]

van der Deure WM, Peeters RP, Visser TJ. (2010) Molecular aspects of thyroid hormone transporters, including MCT8, MCT10, and OATPs, and the effects of genetic variation in these transporters. J Mol Endocrinol, 44 (1): 1-11. [PMID:19541799]

Visser TJ. (2007) Thyroid hormone transporters. Horm Res, 68 Suppl 5: 28-30. [PMID:18174701]

Visser WE, Friesema EC, Jansen J, Visser TJ. (2008) Thyroid hormone transport in and out of cells. Trends Endocrinol Metab, 19 (2): 50-6. [PMID:18291666]

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