Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Endosomes from kidney collecting tubule cells contain the vasopressin-sensitive water channel

Nature volume 333, pages 268–269 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

The mechanism by which vasopressin rapidly and dramatically increases the water permeability of target epithelial cell membranes is thought to involve a cycle of exo- and endocytosis during which vesicles carrying 'water channels' are successively inserted into, and removed from the apical plasma membrane of epithelial cells1,2. Clusters of intramembranous particles, visible by freeze-fracture electron microscopy and presumed to represent water channels, appear on apical membranes in parallel with increased transepithelial water flow3–5. In the collecting duct, these clusters are located in clathrin-coated pits6 which are subsequently internalized. There has been no direct evidence, however, that sub-cellular membranes in vasopressin-sensitive epithelia contain functional water channels. In this report, we have used fluorophores that are sensitive to volume and do not pass through membranes to label and to measure directly the osmotic water permeability of endocytosed vesicles isolated from renal papilla. We present direct evidence that vasopressin induces the appearance of a population of endocytic vesicles whose limiting membranes contain water channels.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wade, J. B., Stetson, D. L. & Lewis, S. A. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 372, 106–117 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hays, R. Am. J. Physiol. 245, C289–C296 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Harmanci, M. C., Stern, P., Kachadorian, W. A., Valtin, H. & DiScala, V. A. Am. J. Physiol. 239, F560–F564 (1980).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Chevalier, J., Bourguet, J. & Hugon, J. S. Cell Tissue Res. 152, 129–140 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kachadorian, W. A., Wade, J. B. & DiScala, V. A. Science 190, 67–69 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Brown, D. & Orci, L. Nature 302, 253–255 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Valtin, H. Ann. NY. Acad. Sci. 394, 1–9 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Brown, D., Weyer, P. & Orci, L. Eur. J. Cell Biol. (in the press).

  9. Kriz, W. & Kaissling, B. in The Kidney: Physiology and Pathophysiology (eds Seldin, D. W. & Giebisch, G.) 265–306 (Raven, New York, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Meyer, M. M. & Verkman, A. S. J. Membrane Biol. 96, 107–119 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Verkman, A. S. & Wong, K. R. Biophys. J. 51, 717–723 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Valtin, H. & Edwards, B. R. Kidney Int. 31, 634–640 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Finkelstein, A. Distinguished Lecture Series of the Society of General Physiologists Vol. 4 (Wiley, New York, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fettiplace, R. & Haydon, D. A. Physiol Rev. 60, 510–550 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Macey, R. I. Am. J. Physiol. 246, C195–C203 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hebert, S. C. & Andreoli, T. E. Kidney Int. 22, 526–535 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kuwahara, M., Berry, C. A. & Verkman, A. S. Kidney Int. 33, 435 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Wayne I. Lencer, Dennis Brown and D. A. Ausiello: Renal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143, USA

    A. S. Verkman, Wayne I. Lencer, Dennis Brown  & D. A. Ausiello

Authors
  1. A. S. Verkman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wayne I. Lencer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dennis Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. A. Ausiello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Verkman, A., Lencer, W., Brown , D. et al. Endosomes from kidney collecting tubule cells contain the vasopressin-sensitive water channel. Nature 333, 268–269 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/333268a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/333268a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing