title: Aquaporins in Nervous System.
abstract: Aquaporins (AQPs ) mediate water flux between the four distinct water compartments in the central nervous system (CNS). In the present chapter, we mainly focus on the expression and function of the 9 AQPs expressed in the CNS, which include five members of aquaporin subfamily: AQP1, AQP4, AQP5, AQP6, and AQP8; three members of aquaglyceroporin subfamily: AQP3, AQP7, and AQP9; and one member of superaquaporin subfamily: AQP11. In addition, AQP1, AQP2 and AQP4 expressed in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are also reviewed. AQP4, the predominant water channel in the CNS, is involved both in the astrocyte swelling of cytotoxic edema and the resolution of vasogenic edema, and is of pivotal importance in the pathology of brain disorders such as neuromyelitis optica , brain tumors and Alzheimer's disease. Other AQPs are also involved in a variety of important physiological and pathological process in the brain. It has been suggested that AQPs could represent an important target in treatment of brain disorders like cerebral edema. Future investigations are necessary to elucidate the pathological significance of AQPs in the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
authors.forename: Mengmeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Diseases, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China.
authors.forename: Shao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China. baoxue@bjmu.edu.cn.|State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China. baoxue@bjmu.edu.cn.|Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China. baoxue@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Baoxue
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D051398:Aquaporin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051400:Aquaporin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496020:AQP1 protein, human; C511251:AQP11 protein, human; C496027:AQP3 protein, human; D020346:Aquaporins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014867:Water; D051398:Aquaporin 1; D051400:Aquaporin 3
keywords: Aquaporins; Brain disorders; Nervous system