Used primarily in research to inhibit AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Dorsomorphin 2HCl helps study signaling pathways related to cell energy homeostasis, autophagy, and metabolism. It is also applied in developmental biology to investigate BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) signaling pathways, particularly in stem cell differentiation and embryogenesis. Due to its ability to block osteogenic differentiation in certain cell types, it serves as a tool compound in studies exploring bone formation and tissue regeneration. Its role in autophagy suppression makes it valuable in cancer research, especially in examining tumor cell survival under metabolic stress.