SLC41A2 acts as a magnesium transporter at the plasma membrane. Its annotated role is to move magnesium ions across the cell membrane, and NCBI Gene describes it as predicted to enable magnesium ion transmembrane transporter activity and as involved in magnesium ion transport. The protein is not restricted to magnesium: it can also mediate transport of other divalent metal cations, with a reported order of preference of Ba(2+) > Ni(2+) > Co(2+) > Fe(2+) > Mn(2+).

The SLC41A2 gene encodes a protein that belongs to the SLC41A transporter family and sits within the HGNC gene group solute carrier family 41. UniProt records its subcellular location as the cell membrane, consistent with the NCBI Gene annotation placing it in the plasma membrane. The mouse ortholog is Slc41a2, which is useful when planning comparative work in rodent models.

The gene has carried several names. Earlier HGNC entries used the descriptions solute carrier family 41, member 2 and solute carrier family 41 (magnesium transporter), member 2, and the alias DKFZP434K0427 still appears in some older records and datasets. Searching under any of these names helps when reconciling literature. Researchers studying cellular magnesium handling, divalent cation transport or the wider solute carrier superfamily use the SLC41A2 protein as a defined plasma-membrane transporter of interest, and a range of reagents, from an SLC41A2 antibody to an SLC41A2 ELISA kit, support that work.