Monoamine receptor

The serotonin 5-HT_1B receptor as an example of a monoamine receptor. Its crystallographic structure in ribbon representation.

A monoamine receptor is a receptor for the monoamine neurotransmitters and/or trace amines, endogenous small-molecule signaling molecules with a monoamine structure. The monoamine receptors are almost all G protein-coupled receptors, with the serotonin 5-HT₃ receptor being a notable exception as a ligand-gated ion channel.

Monoamine receptors include the following:

• Adrenergic receptors – bound by epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
• Dopamine receptors – bound by dopamine
• Melatonin receptors – bound by melatonin
• Serotonin receptors – bound by serotonin (5-HT)
• Trace amine-associated receptors – bound by monoamine neurotransmitters, trace amines, and thyronamines

Monoamine receptors are the biological targets of many drugs.

Histamine is a diamine and hence the histamine receptors are not technically monoamine receptors, although the monoamine and histamine receptors may be appropriately grouped together as biogenic amine receptors.