Erika Cecon

TL;DR: The current review provides an update on melatonin receptors by the corresponding subcommittee of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, and highlights recent developments of melatonin receptor ligands, including radioligands, and gives anupdate on the latest phenotyping results ofmelatonin receptor knockout mice.

TL;DR: The finding that mitochondria synthesize and release melatonin and have their selective G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in the outer membrane is described and a new term, “automitocrine,” is proposed to describe this unexpected intracellular organelle ligand–receptor pathway that opens a new research avenue investigating mitochondrial GPCR biology.

TL;DR: Bias at the level of the receptor, by the expression of genetic receptor variants, will be discussed to show how a modified receptor function can have an effect on the risk for common diseases like type 2 diabetes in humans.

TL;DR: Recent advances in the field focusing on high-affinity agonists and antagonists and those displaying selectivity toward MT1 and MT2 receptors are reviewed and the current status in the emerging field of melatonin receptor oligomerization is critically discussed.

TL;DR: The immune-pineal axis, implicated in the sequential involvement of the melatonin produced by the pineal gland and immune-competent cells, is an integral participant of the innate immune response.