Sodium Leak Channel, Non Selective (NALCN)

NALCN forms a voltage-independent, nonselective, noninactivating cation channel permeable to Na+, K+, and Ca(2+). It is responsible for the neuronal background sodium leak conductance.

Nalcn encodes a protein with the 4-domain structure of voltage-gated Ca(2+) and Na+ channels. Each domain contains 6 membrane-spanning segments and a pore loop. Northern blot analysis revealed predominant expression in brain, with moderate expression in heart and weak expression in pancreas. Rat and human NALCN share 99% identity. Using in situ hybridization and Northern blot analysis, they found that Nalcn was widely expressed in mouse brain and spinal cord horn neurons, but not in liver, muscle, kidney, or testis.