Document Detail


Role and regulation of urea transporters.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15924241     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In the past few years, significant knowledge has been gained about the physiological role and regulation of urea transporters, which have been now cloned in many species. The two major mammalian urea transporters, UT-A and UT-B, have been best studied in the kidney, where they mediate the facilitated diffusion of urea across tubular, interstitial, and vascular compartments, necessary to maintain an osmolar gradient along the renal corticomedullary axis. The genes encoding these transporters, Slc14A2 for UT-A and Slc14A1 for UT-B, have been characterized in rodents and humans, allowing identification of transcriptional mechanisms involved in the regulation of UT-A expression. The crucial role that urea transporters play in renal physiology is underscored by the phenotypic characteristics of UT-A and UT-B knockout mice, in which lack of specific urea transporters impairs the ability to concentrate urine. Expression of the UT-A and UT-B transporters has also been identified in extra-renal sites, where their physiological significance is only beginning to be elucidated. More information on the mechanisms modulating urea transporter expression is becoming available, and the possible involvement of aberrant regulation of these transporters in pathological conditions, or as a result of certain pharmacological treatments, has emerged from recent studies.
Authors:
Serena M Bagnasco
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Review     Date:  2005-05-28
Journal Detail:
Title:  Pflügers Archiv : European journal of physiology     Volume:  450     ISSN:  0031-6768     ISO Abbreviation:  Pflugers Arch.     Publication Date:  2005 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-07-11     Completed Date:  2005-11-23     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0154720     Medline TA:  Pflugers Arch     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  217-26     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. sbagnas1@jhmi.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aging / physiology
Amphibians
Animals
Aquaporins / physiology
Arabidopsis / metabolism
Bacteria / metabolism
Fishes
Gene Expression Regulation*
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Humans
Kidney / metabolism
Membrane Transport Proteins / physiology*
Mice
Mice, Knockout
Rats
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R01-DK-053917/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Aquaporins; 0/Membrane Transport Proteins; 0/urea transporter

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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