MCT2

Monocarboxylate transporter 2 is a is_associated_with::protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC16A1 is_associated_with::gene (also known as MCT2). MCT2 is a proton-coupled is_associated_with::monocarboxylate transporter. It catalyzes the rapid transport across the plasma membrane of many monocarboxylates such as lactate, pyruvate, branched-chain oxo acids derived from leucine, valine and isoleucine, and the ketone bodies acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetate. It also functions as high-affinity pyruvate transporter.

Both Northern blot analysis and inspection of the human expressed sequence tag (EST) database suggest relatively little expression of MCT2 in human tissues. As well, the sequence of MCT2 is far less conserved across species than that of is_associated_with::MCT1 or is_associated_with::MCT4 and there also appear to be considerable species differences in the tissue expression profile of this isoform.