The SLC25A3 antibody targets the solute carrier family 25 member 3 (SLC25A3), a mitochondrial carrier protein encoded by the *SLC25A3* gene in humans. SLC25A3 functions as a phosphate carrier (PiC), facilitating the transport of inorganic phosphate (Pi) across the inner mitochondrial membrane into the mitochondrial matrix, a critical step for ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation. This protein exists in two major isoforms, A and B, generated by alternative splicing, which exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns and may differ in regulatory mechanisms or substrate affinity.
Antibodies against SLC25A3 are essential tools for studying its expression, localization, and functional roles in cellular energy metabolism. They are widely used in techniques like Western blotting, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) to assess protein levels in various tissues, particularly those with high energy demands, such as heart, liver, and skeletal muscle. Research involving SLC25A3 antibodies has helped elucidate its involvement in mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases, including cardiomyopathy, metabolic disorders, and rare genetic conditions like mitochondrial phosphate carrier deficiency, which is linked to infantile lactic acidosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
These antibodies also aid in exploring SLC25A3's interaction partners and post-translational modifications, contributing to a deeper understanding of mitochondrial transport mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for energy metabolism disorders. Specificity validation (e.g., knockout controls) is crucial due to the presence of splice variants and homology within the SLC25 family.