Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 9, 2025

Analyses of Mitochondrial Calcium Influx in Isolated Mitochondria and Cultured Cells
Published on: April 27, 2018
Physiological and Pathophysiological Roles of Mitochondrial Na+-Ca2+ Exchanger, NCLX, in Hearts
Ayako Takeuchi1,2, Satoshi Matsuoka1,2
1Department of Integrative and Systems Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Abstract:
It has been over 10 years since SLC24A6/SLC8B1, coding the Na+/Ca2+/Li+ exchanger (NCLX), was identified as the gene responsible for mitochondrial Na+-Ca2+ exchange, a major Ca2+ efflux system in cardiac mitochondria. This molecular identification enabled us to determine structure-function relationships, as well as physiological/pathophysiological contributions, and our understandings have dramatically increased. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent achievements in relation to NCLX, focusing especially on its heart-specific characteristics, biophysical properties, and spatial distribution in cardiomyocytes, as well as in cardiac mitochondria. In addition, we discuss the roles of NCLX in cardiac functions under physiological and pathophysiological conditions-the generation of rhythmicity, the energy metabolism, the production of reactive oxygen species, and the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores.
Related Concept Videos
Mitochondrial Membranes
Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
Active Transport
Primary active transporters, like Na+, K+ and -ATPase, directly utilize ATP to move ions across the membrane. These transporters play significant roles in various physiological processes. For instance, Na+, K+ and -ATPase maintain...
Pathophysiology of Cardiac Performance
Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy...
The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane

