Carnitine Transporter 2 (CT2)

Organic ion transporters, such as SLC22A16, transport various medically and physiologically important compounds, including pharmaceuticals, toxins, hormones, neurotransmitters, and cellular metabolites. These transporters are also referred to as amphiphilic solute facilitators (ASFs).

The deduced 543-amino acid protein contains 12 transmembrane domains and several sites for N-glycosylation and phosphorylation. The N and C termini are oriented toward the cytoplasm. SLC22A16 shares 36%, 37%, and 38% amino acid identity with OAT1, OCTN2, and OCT1), respectively. Northern blot analysis detected transcripts of 2.1 and 1.8 kb expressed only in testis. Immunohistochemical analysis detected SLC22A16 in Sertoli cells, but not in germinal cells or in interstitial tissues.