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Oxytocin Receptors

Meaning

Oxytocin Receptors ($text{OXTR}$) are specific G-protein coupled receptors found on the surface of target cells in various tissues, including the myometrium of the uterus, the mammary glands, and key regions of the central nervous system. These receptors mediate the diverse physiological and complex behavioral effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin, a hormone fundamentally involved in social bonding, trust, sexual reproduction, and the peripheral control of smooth muscle contraction. The functional density and activity of these receptors are dynamically regulated by circulating sex steroid hormones, particularly estrogen.