Renal concentrating and diluting function in deficiency of specific aquaporin genes

Aquaporins (AQP) are water-transporting proteins expressed in many fluid-transporting epithelia and endothelia. In kidney, AQP1 is expressed in plasma membranes of proximal tubule, thin descending limb of Henle and descending vasa recta, AQP2 in collecting duct luminal membrane, AQP3 and AQP4 in collecting duct basolateral membrane, AQP6 in intercalated cells, and AQP7 in the S3 segment of proximal tubule. Human mutations in AQP2 cause hereditary non-X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Transgenic mice lacking the renal aquaporins have been useful in defining their role. Mice deficient in AQP1 are polyuric and unable to form a concentrated urine because of defective proximal tubule fluid absorption and countercurrent multiplication. Mice lacking AQP3 are markedly polyuric due to low water permeability across the cortical and outer medullary collecting duct. However, mice lacking AQP4, which is expressed mainly in inner medullary collecting duct, manifest only a mild defect in maximum urinary concentrating ability. The aquaporin null mice have normal urinary diluting ability. From many renal and extrarenal phenotype studies of aquaporin null mice, we conclude that aquaporins are important for rapid near-isosmolar transepithelial fluid absorption/secretion and for rapid vectorial water movement driven by osmotic gradients. The renal phenotype in aquaporin null mice suggests the utility of aquaporin blockers as novel aquaretic-diuretic agents.     

Physiological importance of aquaporins: lessons from knockout mice

The phenotype analysis of transgenic mice deficient in specific aquaporin water channels has provided new insights into the role of aquaporins in organ physiology. AQP1-deficient mice are polyuric and are unable to concentrate their urine in response to water deprivation or vasopressin administration. AQP1 deletion reduces osmotic water permeability in the proximal tubule, thin descending limb of Henle and vasa recta, resulting in defective proximal tubule fluid absorption and medullary countercurrent exchange. Mice lacking AQP3, a basolateral membrane water channel expressed mainly in the cortical collecting duct, are remarkably polyuric but are able to generate a partly concentrated urine after water deprivation. In contrast, mice lacking AQP4, a water channel expressed mainly in the inner medullary collecting duct, manifest only a mild defect in maximum urinary concentrating ability. These data, together with phenotype analyses of the brain, lung, salivary gland, and gastrointestinal organs, support the paradigm that aquaporins can facilitate near-isosmolar transepithelial fluid absorption/secretion as well as rapid vectorial water movement driven by osmotic gradients. The phenotype data obtained from aquaporin knockout mice suggest the utility of aquaporin blockers as novel diuretic agents.     

Roles of aquaporins in kidney revealed by transgenic mice

Transgenic mouse models of aquaporin (AQP) deletion and mutation have been instructive in elucidating the role of AQPs in renal physiology. Mice lacking AQP1 are unable to concentrate their urine because of low water permeability in the proximal tubule, thin descending limb of Henle, and outer medullary descending vasa recta, resulting in defective near-isosmolar fluid absorption in the proximal tubule and defective countercurrent multiplication. Mice lacking functional AQP2, AQP3, or AQP4 manifest various degrees of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus resulting from reduced collecting duct water permeability. Mice lacking AQP7 and AQP8 can concentrate their urine fully, although AQP7 null mice manifest an interesting defect in glycerol reabsorption. Two unexpected renal phenotypes of AQP null mice have been discovered recently, including defective proximal tubule cell migration in AQP1 deficiency, and cystic renal disease in AQP11 deficiency. AQPs thus are important in several aspects of the urinary concentrating mechanism and in functions unrelated to tubular fluid transport. The mouse phenotype data suggest the renal AQPs as targets for the development of aquaretics and potentially for therapy of cystic renal disease and acute renal injury.     

Lessons on renal physiology from transgenic mice lacking aquaporin water channels

Several aquaporin-type water channels are expressed in kidney: AQP1 in the proximal tubule, thin descending limb of Henle, and vasa recta; AQP2, AQP3, and AQP4 in the collecting duct; AQP6 in the papilla; and AQP7 in the proximal tubule. AQP2 is the vasopressin-regulated water channel that is important in hereditary and acquired diseases affecting urine-concentrating ability. It has been difficult to establish the roles of the other aquaporins in renal physiology because suitable aquaporin inhibitors are not available. One approach to the problem has been to generate and analyze transgenic knockout mice in which individual aquaporins have been selectively deleted by targeted gene disruption. Phenotype analysis of kidney and extrarenal function in knockout mice has been very informative in defining the role of aquaporins in organ physiology and addressing basic questions regarding the route of transepithelial water transport and the mechanism of near iso-osmolar fluid reabsorption. This article describes new renal physiologic insights revealed by phenotype analysis of aquaporin-knockout mice and the prospects for further basic and clinical developments.     

Aquaporin mediated water flux as a target for diuretic development

Within the past decade an entire family of membrane proteins--aquaporins--which function as transmembrane water channels has been identified; they occur throughout the plant, animal, and bacterial kingdoms. Several family members permit glycerol and urea permeability. Most aquaporins are inhibited by mercury. Constitutively expressed aquaporin 1 is the major permeability channel of the proximal tubule, descending thin limb of the loop of Henle, and it is also found in vasa recta. Aquaporin 2 is expressed in the principal cells of the collecting duct where it shuttles between intracellular vesicles and the apical membrane in response to vasopressin. Aquaporin 2 mutations cause nephrogenic diabetes insipidus; increased aquaporin 2 activity is implicated in the pathophysiology of heart failure, cirrhosis, and nephrotic syndrome. Aquaporins 3 and 4 provide basolateral membrane water channels in the collecting duct. These 4 channels and 6 others are also found elsewhere throughout the body. The physiological importance of several of the channels remains unknown. Aquaporin 1 inhibitors might induce useful diuresis, but humans who lack aquaporin 1 have no significant clinical disease. Inhibition of aquaporin 2 activity by vasopressin receptor antagonists may be useful in heart failure, cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (ADH) release.     

Discovery of aquaporins: a breakthrough in research on renal water transport

Several membranes of the kidney are highly water permeable, thereby enabling this organ to retain large quantities of water. Recently, the molecular identification of water channels responsible for this high water permeability has finally been accomplished. At present, four distinct renal water channels have been identified, all members of the family of major intrinsic proteins. Aquaporin 1 (AQP1), aquaporin 2 (AQP2) and the mercury-insensitive water channel (MIWC) are water-selective channel proteins, whereas the fourth, referred to as aquaporin 3 (AQP3), permits transport of urea and glycerol as well. Furthermore, a putative renal water channel (WCH3) has been found. AQP1 is expressed in apical and basolateral membranes of proximal tubules and descending limbs of Henle, AQP2 predominantly in apical membranes of principal and inner medullary collecting duct cells and AQP3 in basolateral membranes of kidney collecting duct cells. MIWC is expressed in the inner medulla of the kidney and has been suggested to be localised in the vasa recta. The human genes encoding AQP1 and AQP2 have been cloned, permitting deduction of their amino acid sequence, prediction of their two-dimensional structure by hydropathy analysis, speculations on their way of functioning and DNA analysis in patients with diseases possibly caused by mutant aquaporins. Mutations in the AQP1 gene were recently detected in clinically normal individuals, a finding which contradicts the presumed vital importance of this protein. Mutations in the AQP2 gene were shown to cause autosomal recessive nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. The renal unresponsiveness to arginine vasopressin, which characterises this disease, is in accordance with the assumption that AQP2 is the effector protein of the renal vasopressin pathway. The influence of amino acid substitutions on the functioning of AQP1 and 2 was demonstrated by in vitro expression studies in oocytes of the toadXenopus laevis. Future research on renal water transport will focus on the search for other aquaporins, structure-function relationship of aquaporins, the development of aquaporin inhibitors and their possible use as diuretics, and further elucidation of the renal vasopressin pathway.     

水通道蛋白在多囊肾病小鼠肾囊泡上皮细胞的表达与调控

目的 探讨水通道蛋白(AQP)在多囊肾病囊泡上皮细胞的表达和调控。 方法 采用免疫荧光染色和Western印迹法分别检测不同亚型的水通道蛋白AQP1、AQP2、AQP3和AQP4在小鼠常染色体隐性遗传病jck多囊肾小鼠肾脏的表达定位和表达调控。 结果 8周龄jck纯合子小鼠的肾脏占体质量的百分率约是同窝野生型小鼠肾脏的4倍,肾脏组织出现多发、大小不一囊泡,囊泡上皮细胞呈扁平状,肾脏间质可见纤维化。jck小鼠血尿素水平为（42.6±6.7） mmol/L,约是野生型小鼠血尿素水平[（8.4±1.9） mmol/L]的5倍（P < 0.01）。免疫荧光定位分析结果表明AQP1 在近曲小管上皮细胞顶膜和基底膜表达,也表达于髓袢降支细段和直小血管降支,肾囊泡上皮细胞未见AQP1表达。AQP2在集合管和肾囊泡上皮细胞顶膜表达,AQP3和AQP4在集合管和囊泡上皮细胞基底膜表达。Western印迹分析结果表明,jck肾脏AQP2、AQP3和AQP4蛋白表达水平与野生型肾脏相似,但AQP1在jck肾脏的表达水平显著低于其在野生型肾脏的表达水平（P < 0.01）。 结论 jck多囊肾小鼠肾囊泡上皮表达AQP2、AQP3和AQP4,提示肾囊泡来源于肾集合管,水通道蛋白可能在肾囊泡生长过程中起重要作用。     

Physiology and pathophysiology of renal aquaporins

The discovery of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) by Agre and associates answered the longstanding biophysical question of how water specifically crosses biological membranes. In the kidney at least 7 aquaporins are expressed at distinct sites. AQP1 is extremely abundant in the proximal tubule and descending thin limb and is essential for urinary concentration. AQP2 is exclusively expressed in the principal cells of the connecting tubule and collecting duct and is the predominant vasopressin-regulated water channel. AQP3 and AQP4 are both present in the basolateral plasma membrane of collecting duct principal cells and represent exit pathways for water reabsorbed apically via AQP2. Studies in patients and transgenic mice have shown that both AQP2 and AQP3 are essential for urinary concentration. Three additional aquaporins are present in the kidney. AQP6 is present in intracellular vesicles in collecting duct intercalated cells and AQP8 are present intracellularly at low abundance in proximal tubules and collecting duct principal cells but the physiological function of these 2 channels remain undefined. AQP7 is abundant in the brush border of proximal tubule cells and is likely to be involved in proximal tubule water reabsorption. A series of studies have underscored crucial roles of aquaporins for regulation of renal water metabolism and hence body water balance. Moreover it has become clear that dysregulation of aquaporins, and especially AQP2 is critically involved in many water balance disorders. Lack of functional AQP2 is seen in primary forms of diabetes insipidus, and reduced expression and targeting is seen in several diseases associated with urinary concentrating defects such as acquired nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, postobstructive polyuria, as well as acute and chronic renal failure. In contrast, in conditions with water retention such as severe congestive heart failure, pregnancy and SIADH both AQP2 expression levels and apical plasma membrane targetting is increased suggesting a role for AQP2 in the development of water retention. Continued analysis of the aquaporins is providing detailed molecular insight into the fundamental physiology and pathophysiology of water balance and water balance disorders.     

Aquaporin-4 expression in adult and developing mouse and rat kidney

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a member of the aquaporin water-channel family. AQP4 is expressed primarily in the brain, but it is also present in the collecting duct of the kidney, where it is located in the basolateral plasma membrane of principal cells and inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells. Recent studies in the mouse also have reported the presence of AQP4 in the basolateral membrane of the proximal tubule. The purpose of this study was to establish the pattern of AQP4 expression during kidney development and in the adult kidney of both the mouse and the rat. Kidneys of adult and 3-, 7-, and 15-d-old mice and rats were preserved for immunohistochemistry and processed using a peroxidase pre-embedding technique. In both the mouse and the rat, strong basolateral immunostaining was observed in IMCD cells and principal cells in the medullary collecting duct at all ages examined. Labeling was weaker in the cortical collecting duct and the connecting tubule, and there was no labeling of connecting tubule cells in the mouse. In adult mouse kidney, strong AQP4 immunoreactivity was observed in the S3 segment of the proximal tubule. However, there was little or no labeling in the cortex or around the corticomedullary junction in 3- and 7-d-old mice. Between 7 and 15 d of age, distinct AQP4 immunoreactivity appeared in the S3 segment of the mouse proximal tubule concomitant with the differentiation of this segment of the nephron. Labeling of proximal tubules was never observed in the rat kidney. These results suggest that there are differences in transepithelial water transport between mouse and rat or that additional, not yet identified water channels exist in the rat proximal tubule.     

Physiology and pathophysiology of renal aquaporins

The discovery of aquaporin membrane water channels by Agre and coworkers answered a long-standing biophysical question of how water specifically crosses biologic membranes, and provided insight, at the molecular level, into the fundamental physiology of water balance and the pathophysiology of water balance disorders. Of nine aquaporin isoforms, at least six are known to be present in the kidney at distinct sites along the nephron and collecting duct. Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is extremely abundant in the proximal tubule and descending thin limb, where it appears to provide the chief route for proximal nephron water reabsorption. AQP2 is abundant in the collecting duct principal cells and is the chief target for vasopressin to regulate collecting duct water reabsorption. Acute regulation involves vasopressin-regulated trafficking of AQP2 between an intracellular reservoir and the apical plasma membrane. In addition, AQP2 is involved in chronic/adaptational regulation of body water balance achieved through regulation of AQP2 expression. Importantly, multiple studies have now identified a critical role of AQP2 in several inherited and acquired water balance disorders. This concerns inherited forms of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and several, much more common acquired types of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus where AQP2 expression and/or targeting are affected. Conversely, AQP2 expression and targeting appear to be increased in some conditions with water retention such as pregnancy and congestive heart failure. AQP3 and AQP4 are basolateral water channels located in the kidney collecting duct, and AQP6 and AQP7 appear to be expressed at lower abundance at several sites including the proximal tubule. This review focuses mainly on the role of AQP2 in water balance regulation and in the pathophysiology of water balance disorders.     

Urea transporters and renal function: lessons from knockout mice

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Gene knockout mice have been created for the collecting duct urea transporters UT-A1 and UT-A3, the descending thin-limb urea transporter UT-A2 and the descending vasa recta isoform, UT-B. In this brief review, the new insights in our understanding of the role of urea in the urinary concentrating mechanism and kidney function resulting from studies in these mice are discussed. RECENT FINDINGS: The major findings in studies on urea transporter knockout mice are as follows: rapid transport of urea from the inner medulla collecting duct lumen via UT-A1 or UT-A3 is essential for urea accumulation in the inner medullary interstitium; inner medulla collecting duct urea transporters are essential in water conservation by preventing urea-induced osmotic diuresis; an absence of inner medulla collecting duct urea transport does not prevent the concentration of sodium chloride in the inner medulla interstitium; deletion of the vasa recta isoform UT-B has a much greater effect on urinary concentration than deleting the descending limb isoform UT-A2. SUMMARY: Multiple urea transport mechanisms within the kidney are essential for producing maximally concentrated urine.     

Urea and renal function in the 21st century: insights from knockout mice

Since the turn of the 21st century, gene knockout mice have been created for all major urea transporters that are expressed in the kidney: the collecting duct urea transporters UT-A1 and UT-A3, the descending thin limb isoform UT-A2, and the descending vasa recta isoform UT-B. This article discusses the new insights that the results from studies in these mice have produced in the understanding of the role of urea in the urinary concentrating mechanism and kidney function. Following is a summary of the major findings: (1) Urea accumulation in the inner medullary interstitium depends on rapid transport of urea from the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) lumen via UT-A1 and/or UT-A3; (2) as proposed by Robert Berliner and colleagues in the 1950s, the role of IMCD urea transporters in water conservation is to prevent a urea-induced osmotic diuresis; (3) the absence of IMCD urea transport does not prevent the concentration of NaCl in the inner medulla, contrary to what would be predicted from the passive countercurrent multiplier mechanism in the form proposed by Kokko and Rector and Stephenson; (4) deletion of UT-B (vasa recta isoform) has a much greater effect on urinary concentration than deletion of UT-A2 (descending limb isoform), suggesting that the recycling of urea between the vasa recta and the renal tubules quantitatively is less important than classic countercurrent exchange; and (5) urea reabsorption from the IMCD and the process of urea recycling are not important elements of the mechanism of protein-induced increases in GFR. In addition, the clinical relevance of these studies is discussed, and it is suggested that inhibitors that specifically target collecting duct urea transporters have the potential for clinical use as potassium-sparing diuretics that function by creation of urea-dependent osmotic diuresis.     

Dissecting the roles of aquaporins in renal pathophysiology using transgenic mice

Transgenic mice lacking renal aquaporins (AQPs), or containing mutated AQPs, have been useful in confirming anticipated AQP functions in renal physiology and in discovering new functions. Mice lacking AQPs 1-4 manifest defects in urinary concentrating ability to different extents. Mechanistic studies have confirmed the involvement of AQP1 in near-isosmolar fluid absorption in the proximal tubule, and in countercurrent multiplication and exchange mechanisms that produce medullary hypertonicity in the antidiuretic kidney. Deletion of AQPs 2-4 impairs urinary concentrating ability by reduction of transcellular water permeability in the collecting duct. Recently created transgenic mouse models of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus produced by AQP2 gene mutation offer exciting possibilities to test new drug therapies. Several unanticipated AQP functions in kidney have been discovered recently that are unrelated to their role in transcellular water transport. There is evidence for involvement of AQP1 in kidney cell migration after renal injury, of AQP7 in renal glycerol clearance, of AQP11 in prevention of renal cystic disease, and possibly of AQP3 in regulation of collecting duct cell proliferation. Future work in renal AQPs will focus on mechanisms responsible for these non-fluid-transporting functions, and on the development of small-molecule AQP inhibitors for use as aquaretic-type diuretics.     

Effect of cortical-medullary gradient for ammonia on urinary excretion of ammonia

Previous studies suggested that a portion of ammonia secreted into the proximal tubule may diffuse directly from Henle's loop into the medullary collecting duct. Since water is absorbed along the course of the descending portion of the loop, it was proposed that the concentration of ammonia increased in loop fluid, and that rapid diffusibility of the free base would facilitate the delivery of ammonia into medullary interstitium where a high level could be maintained by the countercurrent exchange process. In this schema it was proposed that there was an ammonia concentration gradient between medullary structures and cortex, and recovery of ammonia by the medullary collecting duct due to the low pH in tubule fluid at that site. The present study was designed to evaluate this hypothesis by estimating ammonia concentrations in medullary and cortical tissue, and by correlating medullary levels with secretion rate into the inner medullary collecting duct. In control animals the concentration of total ammonia (NH4+ + NH3+) in inner medullary vasa recta was 9.2 +/- 1.5 mumoles/ml, a level 100-fold higher than the cortical level of 0.10 +/- 0.01. During acute acidosis the medullary level rose to 22.5 +/- 2.7 mumoles/ml, but in acute acidosis during mannitol infusion the level fell to 8.0 +/- 1.2. The rate of ammonia secretion into inner medullary collecting duct fluid correlated directly with medullary vasa recta ammonia concentration. These data provide evidence for a steep ammonia concentration gradient between the medulla and cortex, and suggest that the diffusion gradient across collecting duct epithelium governs the rate of the addition of ammonia to collecting duct fluid.     

Potential physiologic roles for epidermal growth factor in the kidney

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a 53-amino acid polypeptide that is known to produce a number of biologic effects both in vitro and in vivo. High concentrations of EGF are found in urine, and high concentrations of prepro-EGF mRNA have been detected in kidney, localized to thick ascending limb of Henle (TALH) and distal convoluted tubule. Specific high-affinity EGF receptors have been demonstrated in mesangial cells, proximal tubule, and cortical and inner medullary collecting duct, as well as in medullary interstitial cells. In the proximal tubule, EGF binding and EGF receptor-associated tyrosine kinase activity are localized to basolateral membrane, and functional responses in collecting duct are observed only with basolateral administration of EGF. A number of renal responses to administration of EGF have recently been described, including modulation of glomerular hemodynamics, renal metabolism, tubular transport functions, and eicosanoid synthesis. In addition, EGF has been shown to be a potent mitogen in vitro for a variety of cell types in the kidney and may be an important mediator of renal repair following injury.     

Ontogeny of water transport in the rabbit proximal tubule

Water transport across cell membranes is a fundamental biological problem. In the kidney, many nephron segments have mechanisms for transporting large quantities of water with minimal energy input. The proximal tubule reabsorbs two-thirds of the glomerular filtrate with a small transepithelial osmotic gradient as the driving force. In the adult proximal tubule, this is accomplished by the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1), the water channel located on the apical and basolateral membranes of the proximal tubule. The neonatal tubule has a much lower expression of AQP1, yet can still transport water with a small osmotic gradient. Thus, tubule properties other than AQP1 expression must allow for this to occur. There are two primary differences that account for this unexpectedly high osmotic water permeability of the neonatal proximal tubule. First, the lipid membrane of the neonatal tubule is more fluid than the adult tubule and therefore a larger fraction of the water can pass through the lipid bilayer. The second property is the fact that the neonatal tubule cells have a smaller cell volume, and thus, the intracellular compartment provides less resistance for the movement of water. This review will discuss postnatal maturation of proximal tubule water transport.     

Localization of inward rectifier potassium channel Kir7.1 in the basolateral membrane of distal nephron and collecting duct

Inward rectifier potassium channels (Kir) play an important role in the K(+) secretion from the kidney. Recently, a new subfamily of Kir, Kir7.1, has been cloned and shown to be present in the kidney as well as in the brain, choroid plexus, thyroid, and intestine. Its cellular and subcellular localization was examined along the renal tubule. Western blot from the kidney cortex showed a single band for Kir7.1 at 52 kD, which was also observed in microdissected segments from the thick ascending limb of Henle, distal convoluted tubule (DCT), connecting tubule, and cortical and medullary collecting ducts. Kir7.1 immunoreactivity was detected predominantly in the DCT, connecting tubule, and cortical collecting duct, with lesser expression in the thick ascending limb of Henle and in the medullary collecting duct. Kir7.1 was detected by electron microscopic immunocytochemistry on the basolateral membrane of the DCT and the principal cells of cortical collecting duct, but neither type A nor type B intercalated cells were stained. The message levels and immunoreactivity were decreased under low-K diet and reversed by low-K diet supplemented with 4% KCl. By the double-labeling immunogold method, both Kir7.1 and Na(+), K(+)-ATPase were independently located on the basolateral membrane. In conclusion, the novel Kir7.1 potassium channel is located predominantly in the basolateral membrane of the distal nephron and collecting duct where it could function together with Na(+), K(+)-ATPase and contribute to cell ion homeostasis and tubular K(+) secretion.     

Congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus: the current state of affairs

The anti-diuretic hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP) is released from the pituitary upon hypovolemia or hypernatremia, and regulates water reabsorption in the renal collecting duct principal cells. Binding of AVP to the arginine vasopressin receptor type 2 (AVPR2) in the basolateral membrane leads to translocation of aquaporin 2 (AQP2) water channels to the apical membrane of the collecting duct principal cells, inducing water permeability of the membrane. This results in water reabsorption from the pro-urine into the medullary interstitium following an osmotic gradient. Congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is a disorder associated with mutations in either the AVPR2 or AQP2 gene, causing the inability of patients to concentrate their pro-urine, which leads to a high risk of dehydration. This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the cell biological aspects of congenital X-linked, autosomal-recessive and autosomal-dominant NDI while specifically addressing the latest developments in the field. Based on deepened mechanistic understanding, new therapeutic strategies are currently being explored, which we also discuss here.     

Aquaporins in endothelia

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) water channels are expressed widely in microvascular endothelia outside of the central nervous system, including renal vasa recta and tumor microvessels, as well as in non-vascular endothelia in pleura, peritoneum, cornea, and lymphatics. In kidney, AQP1-facilitated water transport in outer medullary descending vasa recta is likely an important component of the urinary concentrating mechanism. However, in most vascular endothelia outside of kidney, it remains uncertain whether AQP1 expression and high water permeability are physiologically important. AQP1 in non-vascular endothelia at the inner corneal surface is involved in the maintenance of corneal transparency. Recently, a new role of AQP1 in endothelial cell migration was discovered in analyzing the cause of defective tumor angiogenesis in AQP1-deficient mice. AQP1 facilitates endothelial cell migration by a mechanism that may involve facilitated water transport across cell protrusions (lamellipodia). AQP1 inhibitors may thus have aquaretic and antiangiogenic activity.