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]

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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]

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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]

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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]

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