title: Junction-forming aquaporins.
abstract: Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of ubiquitous membrane channels that conduct water and solutes across membranes. This review focuses on AQP0 and AQP4, which in addition to forming water channels also appear to play a role in cell adhesion. We discuss the recently determined structures of the membrane junctions mediated by these two AQPs, the mechanisms that regulate junction formation, and evidence that supports a role for AQP0 and AQP4 in cell adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Maurice E. Mueller Institute, University of Basel, Biozentrum, Klingelberstrasse 70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiyoshi
authors.forename: Tamir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gonen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4; D020346:Aquaporins; D005136:Eye Proteins; C030328:aquaporin 0