背景
The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the family of Na+/K+ and H+/K+ ATPases beta
chain proteins, and to the subfamily of Na+/K+ -ATPases. Na+/K+ -ATPase is an integral
membrane protein responsible for establishing and maintaining the electrochemical
gradients of Na and K ions across the plasma membrane.These gradients are essential for
osmoregulation, for sodium-coupled transport of a variety of organic and inorganic
molecules, and for electrical excitability of nerve and muscle.This enzyme is composed of
two subunits, a large catalytic subunit (alpha) and a smaller glycoprotein subunit (beta).The
beta subunit regulates, through assembly of alpha/beta heterodimers, the number of sodium
pumps transported to the plasma membrane.The glycoprotein subunit of Na+/K+ -ATPase is
encoded by multiple genes.This gene encodes a beta 1 subunit. Alternatively spliced
transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described, but their biological
validity is not known.
