Aquaporins in the nervous structures supplying the digestive organs – a review

Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of integral membrane proteins which form pores in cell membranes and take part in the transport of water, contributing to the maintenance of water and electrolyte balance and are widely distributed in various tissues and organs. The high expression of AQPs has been described in the digestive system, where large-scale absorption and secretion of fluids occurs. AQPs are also present in the nervous system, but the majority of studies have involved the central nervous system. This paper is a review of the literature concerning relatively little-known issues, i.e. the distribution and functions of AQPs in nervous structures supplying the digestive organs.