CarrierProtein
Carrier proteins, also referred to as CarrierProtein, are integral membrane proteins that bind substrates and shuttle them across the lipid bilayer by undergoing conformational changes. They differ from channel proteins, which provide open pores; carriers undergo cycles of substrate binding, conformational change, and release, allowing transmembrane movement without forming an open channel.
Carrier-mediated transport can be either passive, known as facilitated diffusion, or active, using cellular energy to
Active transport may be primary, driven directly by ATP hydrolysis, or secondary, driven by ion gradients (for
Substrates include sugars, amino acids, nucleosides, and various ions. Transporters are organized into solute carrier (SLC)
Common examples are GLUT transporters for glucose and other hexoses, and sodium-dependent glucose transporters (SGLTs) that
Clinical relevance: mutations or dysregulation of carrier proteins can cause inherited disorders, such as GLUT1 deficiency.