Glucose Transporter 7 (GLUT7)

SLC2A7 belongs to a family of transporters that catalyze the uptake of sugars through facilitated diffusion. This family of transporters shows conservation of 12 transmembrane helices as well as functionally significant amino acid residues.Northern blot analysis detected a 1.35-kb transcript in small intestine and colon, and weaker signals in testis and prostate. Western blot analysis of brush-border membranes prepared from rat jejunum and ileum detected Glut7 at an apparent molecular mass of 53 kD. Immunohistochemical analysis detected strong Glut7 staining in rat ileum but not colon. Staining in the ileum was predominantly at the brush-border membrane, with only weak staining in basolateral membranes. Glut7 was not found in the underlying muscle layers nor within the vascular villus core.