Beyond water channel: aquaporin-4 in adult neurogenesis

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a key molecule for maintaining water and ion homeostasis associated with neuronal activity in the central nervous system, but the roles of AQP4 in adult neurogenesis remain largely unexplored. Based on preliminary evidences over the past years, AQP4 appears to emerge as an important player regulating the multiple steps of adult neurogenesis. In this mini-review, we discuss the recent findings that reveal a specific functional role of AQP4 in regulating the adult neurogenesis, including proliferation of neural progenitors/neural stem cells, fate specification and differentiation, neuronal migration, and the potential mechanisms. Further studies on the regulation of AQP4 in promoting neurogenesis will lead to better understanding of the signaling mechanisms of adult neurogenesis and potentially provide an opportunity to develop AQP4 as new drug target for neurogenesis.