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Paracellular fluid transport by epithelia.

Bruria Shachar-Hill1, Adrian E Hill

  • 1Physiological Laboratory, Cambridge University, United Kingdom.

International Review of Cytology
|April 16, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Water transfer across epithelial paracellular pathways is not simple osmosis but an active mechano-osmotic process. Aquaporins may regulate this flow, ensuring isotonic fluid transport in various organs.

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Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Epithelial fluid transport is crucial for homeostasis.
  • The paracellular pathway's role in isotonic fluid transfer is debated.
  • Extracellular probe studies offer insights into transport mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence for paracellular water transport.
  • To describe the theory and experimental results of extracellular probe studies.
  • To elucidate the mechanism of fluid transport in epithelia.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing evidence on paracellular fluid transfer.
  • Analysis of extracellular probe studies in gallbladder, intestine, Malpighian tubule, and salivary gland.
  • Application of a mechano-osmotic transport model.

Main Results:

  • Paracellular fluid flow is an active mechano-osmotic process, not simple convection.
  • Paracellular fluid is hypo-osmotic, while cellular fluid transport is hypertonic.
  • Aquaporins may act as osmo-comparators regulating paracellular flow via feedback loops.

Conclusions:

  • Epithelial fluid transport involves a balance between paracellular and cellular routes.
  • A novel model explains quasi-isotonic transport through active regulation of paracellular flow.
  • This model applies to both forward-facing (e.g., proximal tubule) and backward-facing (e.g., exocrine glands) systems.

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