Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R)

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a central-nervous-system melanocortin receptor. In animal and cell models it is studied in the context of energy balance, appetite, and other centrally mediated pathways.

Non-selective melanocortin analogs engage MC4R in addition to MC1R, which is why they appear in research surveying central melanocortin pathways rather than pigment biology alone.