Sodium-glucose transport proteins

Overview
Sodium-dependent glucose cotrasporter 1 are a family of glucose transporter found in the intestinal mucosa of the small intestine (SGLT1) and the proximal tubule of the nephron (SGLT2 and SGLT1). They contribute to renal glucose reabsorption.

Types
SGLT1 and SGLT2 are members of the SLC5A gene family.

Including SGLT1 and SGLT2, there are total seven members in the human protein family SLC5A, several of which may also be sodium-glucose transporters.

Functions
These proteins use the energy from a downhill sodium gradient to transport glucose across the apical membrane against an uphill glucose gradient. Therefore, these co-transporters are an example of secondary active transport. (The GLUT uniporters then transport the glucose across the basolateral membrane, into the peritubular capillaries.)