Rabbit Polyclonal MC1R Antibody

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is a G protein-coupled receptor primarily expressed in melanocytes, where it regulates skin and hair pigmentation by stimulating melanin synthesis through cAMP signaling. It binds α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), triggering eumelanin production, while antagonism by agouti signaling protein promotes pheomelanin. MC1R variants are strongly associated with pigmentation phenotypes (e.g., red hair, fair skin) and susceptibility to melanoma due to impaired DNA repair and oxidative stress responses. Antibodies targeting MC1R are critical tools for studying its expression, localization, and function in skin biology, cancer research, and inflammatory processes. They enable detection via techniques like Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry, aiding investigations into MC1R's role in UV response, melanomagenesis, and potential therapeutic targeting. However, antibody specificity remains a challenge due to homology among melanocortin receptors. Recent studies also explore MC1R's extramelanocytic roles in immune cells and adipocytes, expanding its biomedical relevance beyond pigmentation disorders.