Abstract
Birth is a transition from an underwater life in the uterus to a terrestrial life in a milieu where supply of water is limited. Rapid adaptation to the new environment is crucial for survival and health of infants. The discovery of a family of molecules—aquaporin (AQP) water channels—that are responsible for regulated water transport across cell membranes has made it possible to identify the molecular mechanisms behind the postnatal homeostatic adaptation and to better understand water imbalance–related disorders in infancy and childhood. Thirteen mammalian AQP isoforms have been identified, most of them having a unique tissue-specific pattern of expression. Most mammalian AQPs can be dynamically regulated, which makes them potential targets for the development of new drugs for diseases associated with disturbances in water homeostasis. This review deals with AQP in kidney, lung, and brain. Evidence is presented that AQPs are expressed in a specific age-dependent manner and that the timed expression of AQPs may have a crucial role during the early postnatal period.
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Abbreviations
- AQP:
-
aquaporin
- BPD:
-
bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- RDS:
-
respiratory distress syndrome
- SIADH:
-
syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
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Supported by the Nordic Centre of Excellence Programme in Molecular Medicine and by grants from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, the Märta and Gunnar V. Philipson Foundation, and the Persson Family Foundation.
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Zelenina, M., Zelenin, S. & Aperia, A. Water Channels (Aquaporins) and Their Role for Postnatal Adaptation. Pediatr Res 57, 47–53 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1203/01.PDR.0000159572.79074.0B
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/01.PDR.0000159572.79074.0B
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