An overview of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor families

In the past decade, many 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptor subtypes have been characterized. Many of these subtypes were identified. More recently, molecular biological studies have identified numerous distinct amino acid sequences that appear to represent even more pharmacologically distinct receptor subtypes. This chapter summarizes the current status of 5-HT receptors using a framework in which those with similar characteristics are considered as a ‘family’ of receptors. The identification and characterization of receptor subtypes have significant clinical implications. Theoretically, each subtype provides a specific target site that can be pharmacologically manipulated. The goal of the basic scientific research is to identify the potential functional significance of each 5-HT receptor subtype.