Mammalian sodium/proton exchangers (Na+/H+) function in intracellular pH (pHi) and cell volume homeostasis by catalyzing an electroneutral exchange of extracellular sodium and intracellular hydrogen. The NHE family of ion exchangers includes six isoforms (NHE1 to NHE6). The only ubiquitously expressed isoform, NHE1, localizes to the plasma membrane. Through its effects on intracellular pH and cell volume homeostasis, this protein regulates a number of cellular properties such as adhesion, migration and proliferation, all of which play an important role in cancer cell invasion.
This APP can be used for quantification of NHE1 membrane immunoreactivity. The parameters used in the APP allow measurement of the expression of sodium/proton exchangers at the plasma membrane in tissue sections. As the function of sodium/proton exchangers relates to their localization, quantitative assessment of localized expression will presumably correlate with function. Comparison of matched sets of samples (e.g. tumors versus normal) allows correlation of expression as a function of (disease) status.