Les aquaporines présentes dans le rein

The understanding of water traffic through biological membranes has tremendously progressed with the discovery of the aquaporins. Aquaporins water channels inserted in lipid bilayer drive specific, regulated, water flux under osmotic gradient. Some of them, the aquaglycéroporines, are permeated by urea, glycerol and other small solutes in addition to water. More than 450 aquaporins have been described, and 13 in vertebrates. Aquaporins 1-4, 6-8 and 11 are expressed in kidney, all along the nephron except the thick ascending limb of Henle. Each of them has a specific localization and regulation, and contributes to the body water balance.