Aquaporin-4

AQP4
Available structures
PDB	Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB
List of PDB id codes
	3GD8
Identifiers
Aliases	AQP4, aquaporin 4, HMIWC2, MIWC, WCH4, hAQP4
External IDs	OMIM: 600308 MGI: 107387 HomoloGene: 37507 GeneCards: AQP4
Gene location (Human)
Chr.	Chromosome 18 (human)
End	26,865,771 bp
Gene location (Mouse)
Chr.	Chromosome 18 (mouse)
End	15,544,039 bp
RNA expression pattern
	Top expressed in
	external globus pallidus; ; superior vestibular nucleus; ; subthalamic nucleus; ; ventral tegmental area; ; internal globus pallidus; ; inferior ganglion of vagus nerve; ; lower lobe of lung; ; corpus callosum; ; entorhinal cortex; ; nucleus accumbens;
	Top expressed in
	pontine nuclei; ; habenula; ; olfactory epithelium; ; cerebellar vermis; ; medial vestibular nucleus; ; dorsal tegmental nucleus; ; superior colliculus; ; medial geniculate nucleus; ; spinal cord; ; sternocleidomastoid muscle;
	More reference expression data
	n/a
Gene ontology
Molecular function	water channel activity; water transmembrane transporter activity; protein binding; identical protein binding; channel activity;
Cellular component	cytoplasm; integral component of membrane; plasma membrane; basolateral plasma membrane; membrane; external side of plasma membrane; integral component of plasma membrane; sarcolemma; astrocyte end-foot; extracellular region; endosome; endosome membrane; cell projection;
Biological process	water transport; ion transmembrane transport; multicellular organismal water homeostasis; renal water homeostasis; cellular response to interferon-gamma; transmembrane transport; cellular water homeostasis; water homeostasis; protein homotetramerization; cerebrospinal fluid circulation;
	Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs
	361
	11829
	ENSG00000171885
	ENSMUSG00000024411
	P55087
	P55088
NM_001650; NM_004028; NM_001317384; NM_001317387; NM_001364286;
	NM_001364287; NM_001364289
NM_009700; NM_001308641; NM_001308642; NM_001308643; NM_001308644;
	NM_001308645; NM_001308646; NM_001308647; NM_001317729
NP_001304313; NP_001304316; NP_001641; NP_004019; NP_001351215;
	NP_001351216; NP_001351218
NP_001295570; NP_001295571; NP_001295572; NP_001295573; NP_001295574;
	NP_001295575; NP_001295576; NP_001304658; NP_033830
	Wikidata
View/Edit Human	View/Edit Mouse

Aquaporin-4, also known as AQP-4, is a water channel protein encoded by the AQP4 gene in humans. AQP-4 belongs to the aquaporin family of integral membrane proteins that conduct water through the cell membrane. A limited number of aquaporins are found within the central nervous system (CNS): AQP1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 11, but more exclusive representation of AQP1, 4, and 9 are found in the brain and spinal cord. AQP4 shows the largest presence in the cerebellum and spinal cord grey matter. In the CNS, AQP4 is the most prevalent aquaporin channel, specifically located at the perimicrovessel astrocyte foot processes, glia limitans, and ependyma. In addition, this channel is commonly found facilitating water movement near cerebrospinal fluid and vasculature.

Aquaporin-4 was first identified in 1986. It was the first evidence of the existence of water transport channels. The method that was used to discover the existence of the transport channels was through knockout experiments. With this technique they were able to show the significant role of AQP4 in CNS injuries and brain water imbalances. In 1994 the channel was successfully cloned and initially named Mercury-Insensitive Water Channel.

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