title: Aquaporin 4 in the sensory organs of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).
abstract: The aquaporins (AQPs) are a family (AQP-AQP10) of transmembrane channel proteins that mediate the transport of water, ions, gases, and small molecules across the cell membrane, thus regulating cell homeostasis. AQP4 has the highest water permeability and it is involved in hearing and vision in mammals. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to map the presence of AQP4 in the sensory organs of adult zebrafish. The antibody used detected by Western blot proteins of 34 kDa (equivalent to that of mammalian AQP4) and maps in the sensory cells of taste buds, the hair sensory cells of the neuromast and of the maculae, and cristae ampullaris of the inner ear. Moreover, the retinal photoreceptors display AQP4 immunoreactivity. The non-sensory cells in these organs were AQP4 negative. These results suggest that the AQP4 could play a role in the regulation of water balance and ion transport in the sensory cells of zebrafish, bringing new data for the utilizing of this experimental model in the biology of sensory system.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Morfologia, Biochimica, Fisiologia e Produzione Animale, Sezione di Morfologia, Università di Messina, Messina, Italia.
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zichichi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Magnoli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montalbano
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laurà
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciriaco
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Germanà
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005123:Eye / Q000166:cytology; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4