Abstract

RODRIGUEZ PADRON, Damaris et al. Aquaporins Influence in the Genesis of Multiple Diseases. CCM [online]. 2014, vol.18, n.2, pp. 259-273. ISSN 1560-4381.

Aquaporins are a family of membrane water channels. They are involved in a great variety of physiological functions and human diseases including, glaucoma, cancer, epilepsy, obesity among others. The discovery of the aquaporins have changed the view regarding the understanding of the transportation of water in the biological membranes and to the nature of the transporting proteins in general, because its study has showed that there are canals not only in permeable membranes to ions and the fact that the movements of water through the membranes are regulated by the cell in very different way, comparing to the considerations that existed a decade ago, this allows the understanding of physiopathologic mechanisms that lead to the development of therapeutic new measures better and more effective for the diseases treatment.

Keywords : aquaporins; water channels; cell membrane.