title: Osmotic water permeability diversification in primary trophoblast cultures from aquaporin 1-deficient pregnant mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aquaporins (AQP) are water channel proteins, and some play an important role in maternal-fetal fluid exchange. The present study aimed to measure the osmotic water permeability in primary cultures of trophoblast cells from AQP1-deficient (AQP1(-/-) ) pregnant mice and to define the quantitative role of AQP1 in water transport across the trophoblast plasma membrane.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trophoblast cells were obtained from placental tissue cell culture of AQP1(-/-) pregnant mice and were characterized by cytokeratin 7 immunostaining. The expression of the AQP1 gene in trophoblast cells of wild-type (AQP1(+/+) ) mice was confirmed by immunofluorescence. The osmotic water permeability of trophoblast plasma membranes was measured by a calcein fluorescence quenching method in response to osmotic gradients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A primary cell culture system for trophoblasts was successfully established. Immunofluorescence showed the expression of AQP1 in the trophoblast cell membrane of AQP1(+/+) mice. The osmotic water permeability of AQP1(-/-) trophoblast cells was significantly lower than that in AQP1(+/+) trophoblast cells, in response to both hypotonic and hypertonic challenges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest an important role of AQP1-mediated plasma membrane water permeability in maternal-fetal fluid balance and also provide a potential direction for the identification of therapeutic targets for the treatment of abnormalities in amniotic fluid volume.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Shu
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Central Research Laboratory, Jilin University Bethune Second Hospital, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Tong-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051398:Aquaporin 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009995:Osmosis / Q000502:physiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D051398:Aquaporin 1
keywords: aquaporin 1; cell culture; maternal-fetal fluid balance; trophoblast; water permeability