logo
AAT Bioquest

What are the examples of carrier proteins?

Posted September 13, 2022


Answer

Examples of carrier proteins include: 

Sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+pump) – The sodium-potassium pump transports sodium and potassium ions against their concentration gradient using ATP as an energy source. It uses about 20% to 25% of the ATP in human cells. These carrier proteins play a crucial role in transmitting nerve impulses and maintaining cell membrane potential. 

Glucose transporters – A vital biomolecule and uniporter, glucose transporters bind specifically to and transport only glucose molecules without using ATP. 

Glucose-Sodium transport proteins – Glucose-sodium transport proteins transport glucose actively using a secondary active transport system, known as symport because it transports two substances together in the same direction to ensure that both are transports. Glucose-sodium transport proteins do not use ATP directly. Instead, they use the energy of ATP indirectly.

Additional resources

A perspective on Na and K channel inactivation

Intracellular Ions

Cell Signaling

Intracellular Ion Assay Kits