Aquaporin

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Aquaporin

Aquaporin (pronounced: /ˌækwəˈpɔːrɪn/) is a type of protein that forms pores in the cell membrane, allowing for the transport of water and, in some cases, small solutes across the membrane.

Etymology

The term "aquaporin" is derived from the Latin words aqua meaning "water" and porin meaning "pore". It was first coined in 1992 by the American molecular biologist Peter Agre, who later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003 for his discovery of these proteins.

Function

Aquaporins are integral membrane proteins that serve as channels in the transfer of water, and in some cases, small solutes across the membrane. They are ubiquitous in creatures from bacteria to plants to humans. Aquaporins are "the plumbing system for cells". Water moves through cells in an organized way, most rapidly in tissues that have aquaporin water channels. For many years, scientists assumed that water leaked through the cell membrane, and aquaporins were discovered to show that water movement is regulated.

Types

There are several types of aquaporins, including:

  • Aquaporin-1 (AQP1): Found in many tissues, including the kidneys and red blood cells.
  • Aquaporin-2 (AQP2): Found in the kidneys, where it plays a crucial role in water reabsorption.
  • Aquaporin-3 (AQP3): Found in the kidneys and skin, among other tissues.
  • Aquaporin-4 (AQP4): Found in the brain, where it is involved in the movement of water during the formation and resolution of brain edema.

Related Terms

  • Cell membrane: The semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell.
  • Protein: Large biomolecules, or macromolecules, consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues.
  • Peter Agre: An American physician and molecular biologist, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.

External links

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