| Gene Symbol | MCU |
| Aliases | MCUPROTEIN |
| Protein Type | Ion Channel |
| Target Class | Ion Channel |
| Function | MCU encodes a 351 amino acid protein with two transmembrane domains that form a highly selective calcium channel in the inner mitochondrial membrane. |
| Mechanism of Action | MCU inhibitors block the mitochondrial calcium uniporter channel, reducing excessive calcium accumulation in mitochondria that leads to oxidative stress, energy depletion, and cell death. This mechanism may protect against ischemic injury, neurodegeneration, and heart failure by preserving mitochondrial function and preventing apoptosis in calcium-sensitive tissues. |
| Subcellular Localization | </td><td>Inner mitochondrial membrane</td></tr> |
| Druggability | Low (0.41) |
| Clinical Stage | Phase III |
| Molecular Weight | 40 kDa |
| Amino Acids | 351 aa |
| Pathways | Mitochondrial Calcium Buffering Enhancement via MC |
| UniProt ID | S4R3F5 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000156026 |
| GeneCards | MCU |
| Human Protein Atlas | MCU |
| Associated Diseases | AD, ALI, ALS, AMI, ARM, Aging |
| Known Drugs/Compounds | Ruthenium Red |
| Interactions | DES, PINK1, PERK, BCL2, PARKIN, DRP1 |
| SciDEX Target | View Target Profile (10 clinical trials) |
| SciDEX Hypotheses | Mitochondrial Calcium Buffering Enhancement via MC |
| KG Connections | 224 knowledge graph edges |
| Databases | GeneCardsNCBI GeneHPASTRING |