Acuaporins in the cardiovascular and nervous systems: experimental evidence of their fisiological and pathological roles.

Abstract

Aquaporins are membrane proteins that form channels through which various types of molecules pass, but mainly, these proteins are responsible for the transport of water. Aquaporins are found in almost all cells of different tissues of the body and are an important part of the homeostatic mechanisms of body fluid management and cell volume. They participate in functions as diverse as angiogenesis or learning, and their high or low expression has been related to pathologies such as edema, epilepsy or Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s diseases. This review will mention some of the evidences that have accumulated and that relate aquaporins with physiological or pathological processes in the cardiovascular and nervous system.