title: Phosphate transporters in renal, gastrointestinal, and other tissues.
abstract: Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is essential for all living organisms. Bound to organic molecules, Pi fulfills structural, metabolic, and signaling tasks. Therefore, cell growth and maintenance depends on efficient transport of Pi across cellular membranes into the intracellular space. Uptake of Pi requires energy because the substrate is transported against its electrochemical gradient. Till recently, 2 major families of physiologically relevant Pi-specific transporters have been identified: the solute carrier families Slc34 and Slc20. Interestingly, phylogenetic links can be detected between prokaryotic and eukaryotic transporters in both families. Because less complex model organisms are often instrumental in establishing paradigms for protein function in human beings, a brief assessment of Slc34 and Slc20 phylogeny is of interest.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: Nati
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hernando
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sorribas
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D017136:Ion Transport; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D050610:Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter Proteins, Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050611:Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter Proteins, Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D050610:Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter Proteins, Type II; D050611:Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter Proteins, Type III