Aquaporin-1 and Osmosis

What is it about?

The discovery of the aquaporin family of water channels has provided a molecular counterpart to explain the facilitated movement of water across biological membranes. The distribution of aquaporins in specific cell types, their selectivity and very high capacity for water permeation, and the control of their expression and/or trafficking are key to sustain osmosis in multiple tissues. Here we review the convergent evidence demonstrating that aquaporin-1 (AQP1) facilitates water transport across endothelial cells in the peritoneal membrane, a key process for peritoneal dialysis - the leading modality of home-based dialysis therapy for patients with kidney failure.

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