The membrane pump is primarily responsible for maintaining homeostasis of pH and sodium.

[1] Defects in Na+/H+ antiporters may result in heart or kidney failure.

[2] Angiotensin II upregulates this antiporter in the proximal convoluted tubule in order to promote Na+ reabsorption and H+ secretion.

Na+/H+ exchangers are thought to be implicated in other disorders such as hypertension.

In one study, transgenic mice over expressing this membrane protein were shown to have increased reabsorption and retention of sodium after increased salt intake.