Transporters are membrane-bound proteins that facilitate the movement of ions, nutrients, drugs, and other molecules across cellular membranes. They are essential for maintaining homeostasis and play significant roles in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. There are two main types of transporters: ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and solute carrier (SLC) transporters. ABC transporters typically use energy from ATP hydrolysis to actively transport substrates, while SLC transporters use facilitated diffusion or secondary active transport.
