What is Na+/K+-ATPase?
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Na<sup>+</sup>/K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase}} [[File:Sodium-potassium pump.svg|thumb|200px|The sodium pump removing Na<sup>+</sup> ([[sodium]]) [[ion]]s and taking in K<sup>+</sup> ([[potassium]]) ions]] '''Na<sup>+</sup>/K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase''' is an [[enzyme]] found in the [[plasma membrane]]. It is '''sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase''', also known as the 'Na<sup>+</sup>/K<sup>+</sup> pump', 'sodium-potassium pump', or simply 'sodium pump', for short. It was first discovered by [[Jens Christian Skou]] who won a [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] in 1997. The enzyme moves Na<sup>+</sup> ([[sodium]]) ions out of the cell and replaces them with K<sup>+</sup> ([[potassium]]) ions. This keeps the Na+ ions outside of the cell membrane, and keeps the K+ ions on the inside of the cell membrane. The process works in the opposite direction of [[diffusion]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/nakpump.html|title = The sodium-potassium pump}}</ref> For every three sodium ions that get pumped out of the cell, two potassium ions get pumped into the cell. One phosphate group is still bound to the pump. == Sources == {{reflist}} [[Category:Enzymes]]