The sodium/potassium/calcium exchange family of transporters utilize the extracellular sodium gradient to drive calcium and potassium co-transport out of the cell. As is the case for NCX transporters (SLC8A family), NKCX transporters are thought to be bidirectional, with the possibility of calcium influx following depolarization of the plasma membrane. Topological modeling suggests the presence of 10 TM domains, with a large intracellular loop between the fifth and sixth TM regions.

NKCX6 has been proposed to be the sole member of a CAX Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger family, which may be the mitochondrial transporter responsible for calcium accumulation from the cytosol [2].

* Key recommended reading is highlighted with an asterisk

Altimimi HF, Schnetkamp PP. (2007) Na+/Ca2+-K+ exchangers (NCKX): functional properties and physiological roles. Channels (Austin), 1 (2): 62-9. [PMID:18690016]

Schnetkamp PP. (2004) The SLC24 Na+/Ca2+-K+ exchanger family: vision and beyond. Pflugers Arch, 447 (5): 683-8. [PMID:14770312]

* Schnetkamp PP. (2013) The SLC24 gene family of Na⁺/Ca²⁺-K⁺ exchangers: from sight and smell to memory consolidation and skin pigmentation. Mol Aspects Med, 34 (2-3): 455-64. [PMID:23506883]

* Schnetkamp PP, Jalloul AH, Liu G, Szerencsei RT. (2014) The SLC24 family of K⁺-dependent Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchangers: structure-function relationships. Curr Top Membr, 73: 263-87. [PMID:24745986]

* Sekler I. (2015) Standing of giants shoulders the story of the mitochondrial Na(+)Ca(2+) exchanger. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 460 (1): 50-2. [PMID:25998733]

1. Martínez-Sanz FJ, Lajarín-Cuesta R, González-Lafuente L, Moreno-Ortega AJ, Punzón E, Cano-Abad MF, de los Ríos C. (2016) Neuroprotective profile of pyridothiazepines with blocking activity of the mitochondrial Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger. Eur J Med Chem, 109: 114-23. [PMID:26774037]

2. Sekler I. (2015) Standing of giants shoulders the story of the mitochondrial Na(+)Ca(2+) exchanger. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 460 (1): 50-2. [PMID:25998733]