Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Subunit Alpha (VGSC alpha subunit)

The voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) alpha subunit is the primary pore-forming component of sodium channels, essential for the initiation and propagation of action potentials in excitable cells. It is a large protein organized into four homologous domains, each containing six transmembrane segments. The S4 segment acts as the voltage sensor, and the P-loop region forms the ion selectivity filter. The intracellular linker between domains III and IV serves as an inactivation gate. Different isoforms are distributed across tissues, and mutations can cause neurological diseases.

Other names

Sodium channel alpha subunitNav alpha subunit

Sodium channel blockade, preventing sodium influx and reducing neuronal excitability