title: Expression of aquaporins in human embryos and potential role of AQP3 and AQP7 in preimplantation mouse embryo development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Water channels, also named aquaporins (AQPs), play crucial roles in cellular water homeostasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  RT-PCR indicated the mRNA expression of AQPs 1-5, 7, 9, and 11-12, but not AQPs 0, 6, 8, and 10 in the 2∼8-cell stage human embryos. AQP3 and AQP7 were further analyzed for their mRNA expression and protein expression in the oocyte, zygote, 2-cell embryo, 4-cell embryo, 8-cell embryo, morula, and blastocyst from both human and mouse using RT-PCR and immunofluorescence, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AQP3 and AQP7 were detected in all these stages. Knockdown of either AQP3 or AQP7 by targeted siRNA injection into 2-cell mouse embryos significantly inhibited preimplantation embryo development. However, knockdown of AQP3 in JAr spheroid did not affect its attachment to Ishikawa cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate that multiple aquaporins are expressed in the early stage human embryos and that AQP3 and AQP7 may play a role in preimplantation mouse embryo development.
authors: Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Zhejiang University, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Xiong
authors: Ya-Jing
authors: YJ
authors: Tan
authors: Yi-Meng
authors: YM
authors: Xiong
authors: Yi-Ting
authors: YT
authors: Huang
authors: Xiao-Ling
authors: XL
authors: Hu
authors: Yong-Chao
authors: YC
authors: Lu
authors: Ying-Hui
authors: YH
authors: Ye
authors: Ting-Ting
authors: TT
authors: Wang
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Zhang
authors: Fan
authors: F
authors: Jin
authors: He-Feng
authors: HF
authors: Huang
authors: Jian-Zhong
authors: JZ
authors: Sheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051400:Aquaporin 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496028:Aqp3 protein, mouse; C491927:Aqp7 protein, mouse; D020346:Aquaporins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051400:Aquaporin 3