title: Molecular mechanisms and drug development in aquaporin water channel diseases: aquaporins in the brain.
abstract: Water homeostasis of the brain is essential for its neuronal activity. Changes in water content in the intra- and extra-cellular space affect ionic concentrations and therefore modify neuronal activity. Aquaporin (AQP) water channels may have a central role in keeping water homeostasis in the brain. Among AQP subtypes cloned in mammalian, only AQP1, AQP4, and AQP9 were identified in the brain. Changes in AQP expression may be correlated with edema formation of the brain. In this review, we describe the physiological function of AQPs and the regulatory mechanism of their expression in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Miyazaki Medical College, University of Miyazaki, Kiyotake, Japan. hkobayas@med.miyazaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanagita
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051399:Aquaporin 2; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: C496023:AQP2 protein, human; D051399:Aquaporin 2; D020346:Aquaporins