title: The SLC24 gene family of Na⁺/Ca²⁺-K⁺ exchangers: from sight and smell to memory consolidation and skin pigmentation.
abstract: Members of the SLC24 gene family encode K(+)-dependent Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers (NCKX) that utilize both the inward Na(+) and outward K(+) gradients to extrude Ca(2+) from cells. There are five human SLC24 genes that play a role in biological process as diverse as vision in retinal rod and cone photoreceptors, olfaction, skin pigmentation and at least three of the five genes are also widely expressed in the brain. Here I review the functional, physiological and structural features of NCKX proteins that have emerged in the past few years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, Canada AB T2N 4N1. pschnetk@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Paul P M
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Schnetkamp
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism; D012903:Smell / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; C074530:potassium-dependent sodium-calcium exchanger