Transport protein

Transport proteins are vital to the growth and life of all living things.

[1] Carrier proteins are integral membrane proteins; that is, they exist within and span the membrane across which they transport substances.

Research suggests that potassium, calcium and sodium channels can function as oxygen sensors in mammals and plants,[3][4] and has correlated defects in specific carrier proteins with specific diseases.

[5] A membrane transport protein (or simply transporter) is a membrane protein[6] that acts as such a carrier.

It regulates or facilitates the movement by vesicles of the contents of the cell.

Schematic description of the mechanism of the sodium-potassium pump . Four consecutive steps are shown, from left to right. (1) Three sodium ions enter the transporter on the cell internal side. (2) A phosphorylated group is added to the transporter from ATP. This causes the transporter to close on the inside and open on the outside. The sodium ions then leave to the outside. (3) Two potassium ions enter the transporter from the outside. (4) The transporter opens to the inside while both the potassium ions and the phosphorylated group leaves it.