Experimental Physiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology 74.4 pp 385-417
© The Physiological Society 1989
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tripathi, S.
Right arrow Articles by Boulpaep, E. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tripathi, S.
Right arrow Articles by Boulpaep, E. L.

MECHANISMS OF WATER TRANSPORT BY EPITHELIAL CELLS

Subrata Tripathi 1 and Emile L. Boulpaep 2

1 Molecular Biology Unit, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay 400 005, India
2 Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

Isosmotic transport of fluid across epithelial cell layers occurs by intraepithelial mechanisms that are not fully understood. Newer methods of measuring water flows across epithelia with higher resolution should now permit some key issues regarding solute-linked water transport to be clarified. Unstirred-layer effects are not likely to be serious sources of error in these measurements with judicious choice of experimental conditions.

Progress in ultrastructural stereology has shown that in the proximal tubule most of the transporting membrane is located in the basal aspects of cells, making models based on a hyperosmolar lateral compartment less relevant. The current models of simple transcellular osmosis, though appealing for this simplicity, fail to account for some major experimental findings. Experimental design and methodological limitations have not yet achieved rigorous testing of whether or not epithelia can produce a perfectly isosmotic absorbate without any transepithelial driving forces.

A better understanding of the mechanism of translocation of water through the lipid bilayer, the plasma membrane proteins, and special membrane structures like the tight junctions would significantly contribute to our knowledge of the mechanisms and intraepithelial routes by which water is transported by epithelia.

Submitted on November 23, 1988
Accepted on January 31, 1989




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
J. D. Kawedia, M. L. Nieman, G. P. Boivin, J. E. Melvin, K.-I. Kikuchi, A. R. Hand, J. N. Lorenz, and A. G. Menon
Interaction between transcellular and paracellular water transport pathways through Aquaporin 5 and the tight junction complex
PNAS, February 27, 2007; 104(9): 3621 - 3626.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Biol. Chem.Home page
M. Yano, R. A. Marinelli, S. K. Roberts, V. Balan, L. Pham, J. E. Tarara, P. C. de Groen, and N. F. LaRusso
Rat Hepatocytes Transport Water Mainly via a Non-channel-mediated Pathway
J. Biol. Chem., March 22, 1996; 271(12): 6702 - 6707.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1989 by the The Physiological Society.