The protein encoded by this gene is a membrane protein that functions to transport sodium and bicarbonate ions across the cell membrane. The encoded protein is important for pH regulation in neurons. The activity of this protein can be inhibited by 4,4'-Di-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS). Several transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2012],