Scientists at Aston University (UK) have identified a new mechanism responsible for regulating the flow of water into and out of cells. This discovery will improve understanding of how the body maintains its water balance in health and disease.
A model for the direct regulation of rapid cellular water flow. (Credit: Image courtesy of Aston University)
Proteins called aquaporins (AQPs), which allow water flow into and out of cells were discovered by scientists in California, twenty years ago. These proteins, embedded in cell membranes, constitute the cellular ‘plumbing system’. However, the mechanism which regulates their function under different conditions has remained unclear for many years, such as the control of water flow in the kidney. Read more
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