| Gene Symbol | SLC18A2 |
| Full Name | Solute Carrier Family 18 Member A2 |
| Chromosome | 10q25.3 |
| Function | encodes a critical protein responsible for packaging dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, and histamine into synaptic vesicles for regulated neurotransmission. |
| Molecular Weight | 56 kDa |
| UniProt ID | Q05940 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 6571 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000165646 |
| OMIM | 193001 |
| GeneCards | SLC18A2 |
| Human Protein Atlas | SLC18A2 |
| Oxidative stress reduction | By sequestering dopamine into vesicles, VMAT2 prevents dopamine oxidation by MAO, which would otherwise produce hydrogen peroxide and toxic aldehydes |
| Quantal release | VMAT2 determines the amount of neurotransmitter per vesicle, affecting the precision of synaptic signaling |
| Vesicle pools | VMAT2 maintains both ready-releasable and reserve vesicle pools essential for sustained neurotransmission |
| Schizophrenia | Altered dopamine signaling due to VMAT2 variants may contribute to psychotic symptoms |
| Associated Diseases | Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease |
| Interactions | SLC6A3, Α-Synuclein, ALDH1A1, NEURON, MICROGLIA, ASTROCYTE |
| KG Connections | 23 knowledge graph edges |
| Databases | GeneCardsHPASTRING |