Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P41181 (collecting duct)
 5,183 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Discovery of aquaporin water channel proteins has provided insight into the molecular mechanism of membrane water permeability. The distribution of known mammalian aquaporins predicts roles in physiology and disease. Aquaporin-1 mediates proximal tubule fluid reabsorption, secretion of aqueous humor and cerebrospinal fluid, and lung water homeostasis. Aquaporin-2 mediates vasopressin-dependent renal collecting duct water permeability; mutations or downregulation can cause nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Aquaporin-3 in the basolateral membrane of the collecting duct provides an exit pathway for reabsorbed water. Aquaporin-4 is abundant in brain and probably participates in reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid, osmoregulation, and regulation of brain edema. Aquaporin-5 mediates fluid secretion in salivary and lacrimal glands and is abundant in alveolar epithelium of the lung. Specific regulation of membrane water permeability will likely prove important to understanding edema formation and fluid balance in both normal physiology and disease.
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PMID:Pathophysiology of the aquaporin water channels. 881 12

The discovery of water channels (aquaporins) was a breakthrough in research on water transport. Aquaporins are a family of intrinsic membrane proteins that function as water-selective channels (except aquaporin-3 and aquaporin-7, which are permeable to urea and glycerol as well) in the plasma membranes of many cells. Aquaporin-0 (MIP26) functions to maintain fluid balance in the lens. Aquaporin-1 is involved in water reabsorption in the kidney's proximal tubules and the thin descending Henle's loop, aqueous humor formation in eye, cerebrospinal fluid formation in brain, and airway hydration in lung. Aquaporin-2 is the only water channel that is activated by vasopressin to enhance water reabsorption in the kidney collecting duct. Aquaporin-3 also contributes to water reabsorption in the kidney collecting duct but is unresponsive to vasopressin. It also appears that aquaporin-3 may contribute to cornea transparency. Aquaporin-4 is involved in cerebrospinal fluid transport in brain, water transport in the kidney collecting duct, aqueous humor transport in the eye, and airway hydration in the lung. Aquaporin-5 apparently is coupled to fluid secretion in exocrine tissues. Although the exact function of aquaporin-6 is not known due to its uncertain localization, its restricted presence in the kidney may suggest a potential role in water transport. Aquaporin-7 appears to play a role in the cryopreservation of the sperm whereas aquaporin-8 is responsible for the secretion of pancreatic juice. The major focus of this review is a discussion of aquaporins in renal epithelia, and particularly the mechanisms associated with vasopressin-mediated water transport involving aquaporin-2 and the signal transduction pathways linked to vasopressin action.
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PMID:Aquaporins (water channels): role in vasopressin-activated water transport. 982 41

Aqueous humor drains from the eye through Schlemm's canal, a small endothelial-lined collecting duct. Schlemm's canal endothelial cells may be important in controlling the pressure within the eye (and hence are of interest in glaucoma), and are subject to an unusual combination of shear stress and a basal-to-apical pressure gradient. We sought to characterize this biomechanical environment and determine its effects on F-actin architecture in situ. A theoretical model of flow in Schlemm's canal was used to estimate shear stresses applied to endothelial cells by flowing aqueous humor. Alignment of Schlemm's canal endothelial cells in human eyes was quantified by scanning electron microscopy. F-actin architecture was visualized by fluorescent labeling and compared for closely adjacent cells exposed to different biomechanical environments. We found that, despite the relatively low flow rate of aqueous humor, shear stresses experienced by Schlemm's canal endothelial cells could reach those in the arterial system. Schlemm's canal endothelial cells showed a statistically significant preferential alignment, consistent with a shear-mediated effect. Schlemm's canal endothelial cells subjected to a basal-to-apical pressure gradient due to transendothelial flow showed a prominent marginal band of F-actin with relatively few cytoplasmic filaments. Adjacent cells not subject to this gradient showed little marginal F-actin, with a denser cytoplasmic random network. We conclude that Schlemm's canal endothelial cells experience physiologically significant levels of shear stress, promoting cell alignment. We speculate that this may help control the calibre of Schlemm's canal. F-actin distribution depends critically on the presence or absence of transendothelial flow and its associated pressure gradient. In the case of this pressure gradient, mechanical reinforcement around the cell periphery by F-actin seems to be critical.
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PMID:Biomechanics of Schlemm's canal endothelial cells: influence on F-actin architecture. 1545 74