Where are aquaporin 4 found?
Aquaporin-4 is the most common aquaporin in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. It is highly expressed in the human body primarily at the end-feet of astrocytes.
What is aquaporin 4 receptor antibody?
Antibodies to aquaporin-4 (called NMO-IgG or AQP4-Ab) constitute a sensitive and highly specific serum marker of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) that can facilitate the differential diagnosis of NMO and classic multiple sclerosis.
Does the brain have aquaporins?
Aquaporin 4—the Major Aquaporin in the Brain. The glial membrane channel AQP4, previously named as the mercury-insensitive water channel by Verkman’s group is the most abundant water channel in the brain (Papadopoulos and Verkman, 2007).
What is the role of an aquaporin protein?
Aquaporins (AQP) are integral membrane proteins that serve as channels in the transfer of water, and in some cases, small solutes across the membrane. They are conserved in bacteria, plants, and animals. Structural analyses of the molecules have revealed the presence of a pore in the center of each aquaporin molecule.
What is another name for aquaporin?
Aquaporins, also called water channels, are channel proteins from a larger family of major intrinsic proteins that form pores in the membrane of biological cells, mainly facilitating transport of water between cells.
What is Devic’s syndrome?
Neuromyelitis optica, also called NMO or Devic’s disease, is a rare yet severe demyelinating autoimmune inflammatory process affecting the central nervous system. It specifically affects the myelin, which is the insulation around the nerves.
What is aquaporin made of?
Aquaporins are typically composed of identical subunit proteins. Water molecules traverse the narrowest portion of the water channel in single file. The presence of water channels increases the permeability of membranes to water by as much as ten-fold.
How are aquaporins inserted?
Central to its antidiuretic action in mammals is the exocytotic insertion of the water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP2) from intracellular vesicles into the apical membrane of principal cells, an event initiated by an increase in cAMP and activation of protein kinase A.
What is monophasic NMO?
NMO happens because your body’s immune system attacks healthy cells in your central nervous system (your brain and your spinal cord). These attacks can happen over days or weeks — this is called monophasic NMO. Or you may go a long time between attacks, even months or years. This is called relapsing NMO.
What is the function of Aquaporin-4 in astrocytes?
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a water channel expressed in astrocytes throughout the central nervous system, as well as in epithelial cells in various peripheral organs. AQP4 is involved in brain water balance, neuroexcitation, astrocyte migration, and neuroinflammation and is the target of pathogenic autoantibodies in neuromyelitis optica.
Where is aquaporin 4 found in the nervous system?
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a water channel expressed in astrocytes throughout the central nervous system, as well as in epithelial cells in various peripheral organs. From: Methods in Enzymology, 2012
Where are the AQP4 channels located in the body?
Tissue and cellular distribution. Specifically within the central nervous system (CNS), AQP4 can be found along the spinal cord and serves as the main water channel. The AQP4 channels are highly concentrated in the blood-brain barrier (BBB), as well as in other cerebrospinal fluid barriers.
What is the role of aquaporin 4 in the retina?
Another specific role AQP4 plays is to help odorant molecules bind to target receptors and binding proteins within olfactory epithelium. Within the retina, the role of AQP-4 is to maintain homeostasis. Aquaporin-4 is essential in the formation of memory as well as synaptic plasticity.