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Aquaporins

Aquaporins

Aquaporins or AQPs are a family of integral membrane proteins whose primary function is to transport water, while some called aquaglyceroporins also transport glycerol. In addition, aquaporins have also been suspected to be involved in transporting volatile substances, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia, across membranes. Such AQPs that act as gas channels are often highly expressed in cells involved in the gaseous exchange, such as red blood cells, epithelial cells, and pulmonary capillaries.

Lung Capacity

Lung Capacity

The air in the lungs is measured in volumes and capacities. Lung volume measures reflect the amount of air taken in, released, or left over after a lung function, like a single inhalation. Lung capacity measures are sums of two or more lung volume measures.

Pleura of the Lungs

Pleura of the Lungs

The lungs are nestled in a cavity, shielded by the pleura. The pleura, a form of serous membrane, wraps around each lung. This membrane arrangement consists of two layers: the visceral and parietal pleurae. The visceral pleura lines the surface of the lungIn contrast, the parietal pleura is the outer layer and contacts to the thoracic wall, the mediastinum, and the diaphragm. The hilum is the point of connection between the visceral and parietal layers. The space between the parietal and...

Gross Anatomy of the Lungs

Gross Anatomy of the Lungs

The lungs are a pair of vital organs connected to the trachea via the left and right bronchi. The base of these organs meets the dome-shaped muscle known as the diaphragm. Encased by the pleurae, the lungs contact the mediastinum. The right lung is shorter yet wider, and has a larger volume than the left lung. The left lung has an indentation known as the cardiac notch. The superior region of the lungs is referred to as the apex, whereas the base is the lower region near the diaphragm. The...

Endocrine Signaling

Endocrine Signaling

Endocrine cells produce hormones to communicate with remote target cells found in other organs. The hormone reaches these distant areas using the circulatory system. This exposes the whole organism to the hormone but only those cells expressing hormone receptors or target cells are affected. Thus, endocrine signaling induces slow responses from its target cells but these effects also last longer.

Filtration and Urine Formation

Filtration and Urine Formation

The function of the kidneys is to filter, reabsorb, secrete, and excrete. Every day the kidneys filter nearly 180 liters of blood, initially removing water and solutes but ultimately returning nearly all filtrates into circulation with the help of osmoregulatory hormones. This process removes wastes and toxins but is also crucial to maintain water and electrolyte levels. Most of these functions are performed by the tiny but numerous nephrons contained within the kidneys.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Diagnostic Strategies and Biomarker Development for Comprehensive Lung Function Analysis

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Diagnostic Strategies and Biomarker Development for Comprehensive Lung Function Analysis

Published on: August 9, 2024

Aquaporins in the lung.

Oliver H Wittekindt¹, Paul Dietl²

¹Institute of General Physiology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany. oliver.wittekindt@uni-ulm.de.

Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology

|November 7, 2018

Summary

Aquaporins (AQPs) are proteins that help water move across cell membranes. This study discusses their role in maintaining lung fluid balance, which is crucial for proper gas exchange and airway function.

Keywords:

Aquaporin Endothelium Epithelium Lung Water transport

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Area of Science:

Pulmonary physiology
Cell biology
Epithelial transport

Background:

The lung's air-liquid interface is vital for gas exchange and mucociliary clearance.
Pulmonary epithelial fluid volume regulation is essential for lung function.
Water transport across lung epithelia is primarily driven by osmosis, with filtration implicated in pathological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the role of aquaporins (AQPs) in lung fluid homeostasis.
To investigate the contribution of AQPs to maintaining fluid balance across the respiratory epithelium.
To clarify the function of AQPs in near-isosmolar fluid conditions within the lung.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on aquaporins and lung fluid transport.
Discussion of physiological mechanisms governing fluid balance in the airways and alveoli.
Analysis of the transcellular water transport facilitated by aquaporins.

Main Results:

Aquaporins facilitate water flux across cell membranes, providing a pathway for transcellular water transport.
The precise contribution of AQPs to lung fluid homeostasis, especially under near-isosmolar conditions, requires further elucidation.
Understanding AQP function is key to comprehending lung epithelial fluid dynamics.

Conclusions:

Aquaporins play a significant role in regulating water movement across the respiratory epithelium.
Further research is needed to fully understand the contribution of aquaporins to lung fluid balance.
AQPs are critical components in maintaining the delicate fluid environment necessary for optimal lung function.