ABCG8

The ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter family is the largest and most diverse family of membrane transport proteins and, as the name suggests, uses the energy generated by ATP hydrolysis to transport substrates across membranes. Eukaryotic ABC transporters are divided in to full or half transporters, and in to seven sub-families named A through to G (1).

ABCG2 is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily. Among ABC transporters ABCG2 is particularly interesting for its potential role in protecting cancer stem cells and its complex oligomeric structure (1).

The high prevalence of atherosclerosis in developed nations is not breaking news; it has been well established that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and it presents a major socioeconomic burden.