Spatiotemporal regulation of AQP4 polarization and its relation to sleep

Spatiotemporal regulation of AQP4 polarization and its relation to sleep

A central determinant of glymphatic transport is the polarized localization of the water channel Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) at astrocytic endfeet surrounding cerebral blood vessels. While loss of AQP4 polarization has repeatedly been associated with impaired glymphatic function, surprisingly little is known about how AQP4 polarization itself is physiologically regulated.

We investigate the principles governing AQP4 polarization in the healthy brain. Using immunofluorescence and Western blot, we study in experimental animal models how AQP4 polarization and AQP4 isoforms vary across brain regions, throughout the circadian cycle and in different sleep conditions.