Dictionary
sodium pump
noun
Definition of SODIUM PUMP
1
: a molecular mechanism by which sodium ions are transferred across a cell membrane by active transport; especially : one that is controlled by a specialized plasma membrane protein by which a high concentration of potassium ions and a low concentration of sodium ions are maintained within a cell
2
: the specialized plasma membrane protein that controls the sodium pump mechanism
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First Known Use of SODIUM PUMP
1951
Medical Dictionary
sodium pump
noun
Medical Definition of SODIUM PUMP
1
: a molecular mechanism by which sodium ions are actively transported across a cell membrane; especially : one by which a high concentration of potassium ions and a low concentration of sodium ions are maintained within a cell and that is controlled by a specialized plasma membrane protein linking the hydrolysis of ATP to the active transport of intracellular sodium ions out of the cell and extracellular potassium ions into the cell to create an electrical and chemical gradient across the plasma membrane necessary for vital cell functions (as nerve cell excitation and cell volume regulation)
2
: the specialized plasma membrane protein that controls the sodium pump mechanism
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