Background information
Equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs) regulate many physiological processes and are widely distributed in mammals, plants, yeasts, insects, nematodes and protozoans. They enable facilitated diffusion of hydrophilic nucleosides, such as adenosine and nucleoside analogs, across cell membranes. ENTs are required for uptake of antiviral and anticancer nucleoside drugs and influence a variety of physiological processes, such as neurotransmission and platelet aggregation, by regulating the amount of adenoside available to cell surface receptors. Equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1), also designated solute carrier family 29 (nucleoside transporters), member 1, belongs to the SLC29A transporter family and is a mammalian ENT isoform. ENT1, along with ENT3, mediates the majority of influx and efflux of nucleosides across the plasma membrane.
