The Regulation and Pathophysiology of Intracellular Water Metabolism by an Intracellular Aquaporin

本研究通过对AQP11基因和蛋白表达的全面研究，揭示了AQP11基因缺失小鼠多囊肾发育过程中内质网(ER)未折叠蛋白积聚所引起的应激反应在多囊肾发育中的重要作用。除肾脏外，AQP11在肝脏、睾丸、胸腺和脑中也有一定的作用。值得注意的是，AQP11表达于脑毛细血管内皮细胞，似乎是为了适应脑内的渗透应激。

This study revealed the importance of endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress reaction induced by the accumulation of unfold proteins in the ER for the development of polycystic kidneys in AQP11 null mice by comprehensive gene and protein expression surveys of the kidney. Other than the kidney, AQP11 plays some roles in the liver, testis, thymus and brain. It is noteworthy that AQP11 is expressed at the endothelium of cerebral capillaries seemingly for the adaptation of osmotic stresses in the brain.