Aquaporins in health and disease.
The molecular basis of membrane water-permeability remained elusive until the recent discovery of the aquaporin water-channel proteins. The fundamental importance of these proteins is suggested by their conservation from bacteria through plants to mammals. Ten mammalian aquaporins have thus far been identified, each with a distinct distribution. In the kidney, lung, eye and brain, multiple water-channel homologs are expressed, providing a network for water transport in those locations. It is increasingly clear that alterations in aquaporin expression or function can be rate-limiting for water transport across certain membranes. Aquaporins are likely to prove central to the pathophysiology of a variety of clinical conditions from diabetes insipidus to various forms of edema and, ultimately, they could be a target for therapy in diseases of altered water homeostasis.
King
L S
LS
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 910, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. lsking@welch.jhu.edu
Yasui
M
M
Agre
P
P
D000818:Animals; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004194:Disease; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
D020346:Aquaporins; D014867:Water