PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - D. F. Woodward AU - R. L. Jones AU - S. Narumiya TI - International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. LXXXIII: Classification of Prostanoid Receptors, Updating 15 Years of Progress AID - 10.1124/pr.110.003517 DP - 2011 Jul 13 TA - Pharmacological Reviews PG - pr.110.003517 4099 - http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2011/07/13/pr.110.003517.short 4100 - http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2011/07/13/pr.110.003517.full AB - It is now more than 15 years since the molecular structures of the major prostanoid receptors were elucidated. Since then, substantial progress has been achieved with respect to distribution and function, signal transduction mechanisms, and the design of agonists and antagonists (http://www.iuphar-db.org/DATABASE/FamilyIntroductionForward?familyId=58). This review systematically details these advances. More recent developments in prostanoid receptor research are included. The DP2 receptor, also termed CRTH2, has little structural resemblance to DP1 and other receptors described in the original prostanoid receptor classification. DP2 receptors are more closely related to chemoattractant receptors. Prostanoid receptors have also been found to heterodimerize with other prostanoid receptor subtypes and nonprostanoids. This may extend signal transduction pathways and create new ligand recognition sites: prostacyclin/thromboxane A2 heterodimeric receptors for 8-epi-prostaglandin E2, wild-type/alternative (alt4) heterodimers for the prostaglandin FP receptor for bimatoprost and the prostamides. It is anticipated that the 15 years of research progress described herein will lead to novel therapeutic entities.