OATPC stands for the Oligopeptide Transporter (OAT) Proteins Family, also known as the Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs) Family. OATPC refers to a group of integral membrane proteins that are involved in the transport of various molecules across biological membranes, particularly in the liver and other tissues.
These OATPCs are a class of transporters that are primarily responsible for the uptake and clearance of a diverse range of endogenous and exogenous compounds, including hormones, bile salts, drugs, and other organic anions. They play a crucial role in determining the disposition and pharmacokinetics of many therapeutic drugs and xenobiotics in the human body.
Members of the OATPC family are found in various tissues and organs, with OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 being highly expressed in the liver, and OATP1A2 in the brain. These transporters are often localized on the sinusoidal (blood-facing) side of hepatocytes, allowing them to mediate the uptake of substances from the blood into liver cells.
OATPCs are not only involved in the active transport of their substrates but are also capable of bidirectional movement, allowing the efflux of various endogenous and exogenous molecules back into the bloodstream. Therefore, the function of OATPCs is critical in maintaining physiological homeostasis, drug clearance, and elimination processes.
Understanding the role and function of these OATPC transporters is essential for predicting drug-drug interactions, optimizing drug therapy, and designing drugs with improved pharmacokinetic properties. OATPCs have gained significant interest in pharmacology and toxicology due to their involvement in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion processes.
