Cardiac sodium channel (SCN5A)

Cardiac sodium channel (SCN5A)

Cardiac sodium channel (SCN5A) is a voltage gated channel. It is activated during the rapid depolarization of the myocardial cells. The gene for cardiac sodium channel is on chromosome 3. Sodium channel has one alpha subunit and one or more beta subunits. Phosphorylation and glycosylation of the alpha subunit are involved in the activation and inactivation of the sodium channel. Local anaesthetics can bind to the open channel and cause closure. Sodium channel mutations are involved in the molecular genesis of Brugada syndrome, certain varieties of long QT syndromes, sick sinus syndrome and cardiac conduction disease.