From membrane pores to aquaporins: 50 years measuring water fluxes

Abstract

This review focuses on studies of water movement across biological membrane performed over the last 50 years. Different scientific approaches had tried to elucidate suc intriguing mechanism, from hypotheses emphasizing the role of the lipid bilayer to th cloning of aquaporins, the ubiquitous proteins described as specific water channels Pioneering and clarifying biophysical work are reviewed beside results obtained with th help of recent sophisticated techniques, to conclude that great advances in the subject liv together with old questions without definitive answers. © 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.