Role of Aquaporins in Body Fluid Homeostasis

The movement of water across cell plasma membranes occurs in all cell types but is particularly rapid in erythrocytes, renal tubular cells. In principle, osmotic/oncotic gradients and hydrostatic pressure difference can drive water across a cell layer by transcellular or paracellular pathways. The aquaporin family of molecular water channels, which now number 10 in mammals and many more in plants and lower organism, are likely to provide a molecular pathway for water transport in some cell membranes.(omitted)