Aquaporin-7 (AQP-7) is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''AQP7''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Aquaporin
Aquaporins, also called water channels, are channel proteins from a larger family of major intrinsic proteins that form pores in the membrane of biological cells, mainly facilitating transport of water between cells. The cell membranes of a v ...
s/
major intrinsic proteins
Major intrinsic proteins comprise a large superfamily of transmembrane protein channels that are grouped together on the basis of homology. The MIP superfamily includes three subfamilies: aquaporins, aquaglyceroporins and S-aquaporins.
# The aqua ...
(MIP) are a family of water-selective membrane channels. Aquaporin-7 has greater sequence similarity with AQP3 and AQP9 and they may be a subfamily. Aquaporin-7 and AQP3 are at the same chromosomal location suggesting that 9p13 may be a site of an aquaporin cluster. Aquaporin-7 facilitates water, glycerol and urea transport. It may play an important role in thermoregulation in the form of perspiration, and sperm function.
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