The glucose transporter family: structure, function and tissue-specific expression.

possess a transport system for glucose of the facilitative diffusion type; these transporters allow the movement of glucose across the plasma membrane down its chemical gradient either into or out of cells. These transporters are specific for the D-enantiomer of glucose and are not coupled to any energy-requiring components, such as ATP hydrolysis or a HI gradient [1]. The facilitative glucose transporters are distinct from the Na+dependent transporters, which actively accumulate glucose [2,3]. The importance of glucose as a cellular metabolite has led to