Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40801970›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2025

A systematic study of the distribution and expression of aquaporin water channels in normal adult human brain.

Reginald C Adiele, Mylyne Tham, Claudia F Lucchinetti, Bogdan F Gh Popescu

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Glymphatic dysfunction in cerebellar neurodegeneration: mechanistic insights and emerging clinical implications.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Vascular changes and their implications in lipedema.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Reginald C AdieleDepartment of Podiatric Medicine, Surgery and Biomechanics, School of Podiatric Medicine, College of Podiatric Medicine, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, 2102 Treasure Hills Blvd, Harlingen, TX, 78550, USA. reginald.adiele@utrgv.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-2178-0155
Mylyne ThamDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
Claudia F LucchinettiDepartment of Neurology, Dean of Dell Medical School, Senior Vice President Medical Affairs, Frank and Charmaine Denius Dean's Chair in Medical Leadership, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Bogdan F Gh PopescuDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundsWater regulation in the central nervous system (CNS) is very important to maintain normal neurophysiological homeostasis and intracranial pressure, as well as during neuropathological conditions. Not only because of the rigidity and limited mobility of the brain encasement, but also the need to maintain an appropriate osmotic balance across the various fluid-filled brain compartments for normal neurological functions. Aquaporins (AQPs), a family of non-energy dependent, bidirectional water transport protein channels play a crucial role in the maintenance of water and electrolyte balance in the human brain and their distribution and expression in regions of the brain need to be characterized to definitively certify and associate their pathogenic role in neuropathological disorders.

resultsWe carried out a detailed and systematic study of aquaporin-1 (AQP1), aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and aquaporin-9 (AQP9) expression in neurologically normal, autopsy brain tissues from nine patients. Interestingly, AQP1 immunoreactivity was not observed in the ependymal cell layer and cortical gray matter (GM) despite glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactive astrocytes in these regions. However, AQP1 was preferentially but not exclusively expressed in the white matter (WM) regions of the CNS, including the subcortical cerebral and cerebellar WM, brainstem, spinal cord, and choroid plexus. AQP4 immunolabeling was detected in both GM and WM regions of the CNS examined with enhanced expression in the upper and deeper layers of the cerebral cortex, while AQP9 immunoreactivity was only detected in the choroid plexus co-localizing with AQP1.

conclusionsThis is the first detailed and sequential study of AQP water transport channels in all regions of the human brain. The data affirm the anatomical locations, corresponding to the physiological functions of the three major AQP (AQP1, AQP4, and AQP9) water transport protein channels found in the adult human brain.

Indexed as

AquaporinsBrainAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAquaporin 1Aquaporin 4FemaleGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinHumansMaleMiddle AgedAQP1 protein, humanAQP4 protein, humanAQP9 protein, humanAquaporin 1Aquaporin 4AquaporinsGlial Fibrillary Acidic ProteinAquaporinsAstrocyteBlood–brain barrierBrain edemaCerebrospinal fluidOsmotic balance

Identifiers

PMID40801970

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.