Aquaporin 12B (AQP12B)

AQP12B belongs to the MIP/aquaporin (TC 1.A.8) family. AQP11/AQP12 subfamily. Aquaporins facilitate the transport of water and small neutral solutes across cell membranes. Aquaporins are members of a family of integral membrane proteins, which act as specialized channels to facilitate the passage of water through the cell membrane in animals, plants, and bacteria. To date 14 mammalian AQP proteins, AQP 0 to AQP12B, have been identified 2-7. AQP isoforms have a distinctive tissue distribution and cellular expression pattern (e.g. apical versus basolateral membrane in epithelia) and permit rapid and specific water transport in response to osmotic gradients. Although the exact role of AQP subtypes expressed in respiratory epithelia is not yet known, elucidating the expression pattern of these proteins may provide clues regarding their function.