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Transporters

NIS

• Abraham

• Ajjan, Kilbane, Weetman

• Carrasco

• Colorado SU

• Costagliola

• Elisei

• Endo

• Ferreira

• Filetti

• Fujiwara

• Furlanetto

• Gene Reports

• Heufelder

• Josefsson

• Jhiang

• Kim, Chung

• Kogai

• Kotani

• Lim, Moon

• Mitchell

• Mitrofanova

• Pekary

• Perron

• Riesco-Eizaguirre

• Rhoden

• Schlumberger

• Schmitt

• Smyth

• Spitzweg

• Suzuki

• Tazebay

• Tonacchera

• Upadhyay

• Van Sande

• Venkataraman

• Yoshida, Kosugi

• Wapnir

• Wolff

NIS SYMPORTER

The first step in thyroid hormone synthesis is the movement of iodide into the thyroid cells.  The thyroid is able to concentrate iodide by a factor of 20- to 40-fold with respect to its concentration in the blood.

It accomplishes this amazing feat by means of the Sodium (Na+) / Iodide (I-) symporter (NIS).  A symporter (animation) is a special membrane protein involved in transporting iodide into the cell. 

The NIS couples the inward "downhill" movement of sodium (Na+) to the inward "uphill" movement of iodide (I-).  In other words, it facilitates the movement of iodide, together with sodium, from the blood into the thyroid cells.

The NIS symporter is found not only in thyroid cells but also in non-thyroidal tissues which concentrate iodine, including salivary glands, gastric mucosa, and lactating mammary glands.

Here is a simple description of the NIS complete with pictures.

In the past decade, NIS research at the molecular level has become an exciting new field in thyroidology.

Carrasco's team has been responsible for much of the basic NIS research.

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