Recombinant Human Aquaporin-4 (AQP4), Truncated

Uniprot Id

P55087

Target Species

Human

Target Name

AQP4

Target Full Name

Aquaporin-4

Target Function

Forms a water-specific channel. Plays an important role in brain water homeostasis and in glymphatic solute transport. Required for a normal rate of water exchange across the blood brain interface. Required for normal levels of cerebrospinal fluid influx into the brain cortex and parenchyma along paravascular spaces that surround penetrating arteries, and for normal drainage of interstitial fluid along paravenous drainage pathways. Thereby, it is required for normal clearance of solutes from the brain interstitial fluid, including soluble beta-amyloid peptides derived from APP. Plays a redundant role in urinary water homeostasis and urinary concentrating ability.

Target Subcellular Location

Cell membrane; Multi-pass membrane protein. Basolateral cell membrane; Multi-pass membrane protein. Endosome membrane. Cell membrane, sarcolemma; Multi-pass membrane protein. Cell projection.

Target Protein Families

MIP/aquaporin (TC 1.A.8) family

Target Tissue Specificity

Detected in skeletal muscle. Detected in stomach, along the glandular base region of the fundic gland (at protein level). Detected in brain, lung and skeletal muscle, and at much lower levels in heart and ovary.

Target Research Area

Transport

Target Synonyms

AQP 4; AQP-4; AQP4; AQP4_HUMAN; Aquaporin type 4; Aquaporin-4; Aquaporin4; HMIWC 2; HMIWC2; Mercurial insensitive water channel; Mercurial-insensitive water channel; MGC22454; MIWC; WCH 4; WCH4

Target Background

This gene encodes a member of the aquaporin family of intrinsic membrane proteins that function as water-selective channels in the plasma membranes of many cells. This protein is the predominant aquaporin found in brain and has an important role in brain water homeostasis. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described for this gene. Additional isoforms, resulting from the use of alternative in-frame translation initiation codons, have also been described. Recent studies provided evidence for translational readthrough in this gene, and expression of C-terminally extended isoforms via the use of an alternative in-frame translation termination codon.