Professor Andrea Yool
Department of Physiology
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Tucson, AZ

Monday, March 15, 2004
3:00 pm (CT)
3269 Beckman Institute

Abstract

Ion channel functions have been shown for Aquaporins 0, 1 and 6, and for the related channel Big Brain, but the physiological roles of these currents remain unknown. Our prior work demonstrated that AQP1 channels expressed in oocytes mediate a cGMP- dependent cation current. Because the proportion of active AQP ion channels in expression systems is low, the physiological relevance of the ionic conductance is uncertain. Using rat choroid plexus, a tissue that secretes cerebral spinal fluid and abundantly expresses AQP1, we have demonstrated that AQP1 does function as a cGMP- gated ion channel in a native tissue, and that the activation and block of the AQP1- mediated ionic current produces a robust effect on net fluid transport across the choroid plexus barrier

Tea and coffee will be served in R3151 Beckman Institute at 2:15pm.