title: Thirsty business: cell, region, and membrane specificity of aquaporins in the testis, efferent ducts, and epididymis and factors regulating their expression.
abstract: Water content within the male reproductive tract is stringently regulated  in order to promote sperm differentiation and maturation. Aquaporins (AQP) are  a family of integral membrane proteins allowing the transcellular transport of  water, gases, urea, glycerol, and ions. Past studies from our lab have  revealed the following. In the testis, Sertoli cells express AQP 8, whereas  germ cells express AQP 7. In the efferent ducts (ED), AQP 1, 9, and 10  localize to microvilli of nonciliated cells, in addition to a basolateral  staining for AQP 1, whereas AQP 1 and 10 localize to ciliated cells. AQP 7 and  11 are expressed in the ED epithelium of young but not adult rats, suggesting  suppression of translation as rats age. In the adult epididymis, AQP 1 appears  in endothelial cells of vascular channels and myoid cells, whereas AQP 3  delineates basal cells. In principal cells, AQP 9 and 11 appear on microvilli,  whereas AQP 7 localizes to lateral then to basal plasma membranes in a  region-specific manner; AQP 7 also associates with myoid cells. AQP 5 is  expressed in corpus and cauda regions. Additionally, several AQPs are  expressed by some but not all basal (AQP 7, 11), clear (AQP 7, 9), and halo  (AQP 7, 11) cells. Regulation studies reveal a role for estrogen, androgens,  and lumicrine factors. These findings indicate unique associations of AQPs  with specific membrane domains in a cell type- and region-specific  manner within the EDs and epididymis, as well as complex regulation patterns  of expression.
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, 3640 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. louishermo@mcgill.ca
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Hermo
authors: Charles E
authors: CE
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004543:Ejaculatory Ducts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D020346:Aquaporins; D004967:Estrogens; D014867:Water