Alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (α-MSH)

يُعرف أيضًا باسم: α-MSH, alpha-MSH

Alpha-MSH is an endogenous 13-amino-acid peptide cleaved from the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) precursor that acts as the principal natural agonist of melanocortin receptors. It serves as the reference ligand against which synthetic melanocortin agonists are characterized in receptor-binding research.

Alpha-MSH activates MC1R, MC3R, and MC4R with differing affinity, and is studied in vitro alongside synthetic analogs such as PT-141 to map melanocortin-receptor selectivity.