SCN4A

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SCN4A

SCN4A (pronounced as S-C-N-four-A), also known as the Sodium Voltage-Gated Channel Alpha Subunit 4, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SCN4A gene.

Etymology

The term SCN4A is an abbreviation derived from the full name of the gene, Sodium Voltage-Gated Channel Alpha Subunit 4. The "SCN" stands for Sodium Channel, the "4" represents the fourth member of the alpha subunit, and the "A" signifies the alpha subunit.

Function

SCN4A is a crucial component of the Sodium channels, which are integral membrane proteins that form ion channels, conducting sodium ions (Na+) through a cell's plasma membrane. They are responsible for the rising phase of action potentials in most excitable cells.

Related Terms

  • Sodium channel: A class of transmembrane proteins that allow sodium ions to pass through a cell's plasma membrane.
  • Ion channel: Pore-forming membrane proteins that allow ions to pass through the channel pore.
  • Action potential: A short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls.
  • Membrane potential: The difference in electric potential between the interior and the exterior of a biological cell.
  • Excitable cell: Cells that are capable of generating and conducting electrical signals, usually in the form of action potentials.

Disorders

Mutations in the SCN4A gene are associated with several types of Myotonia and Periodic paralysis, which are both types of Muscle disorders.

See Also

External links

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