Aquaporin 8 (AQP-8) belongs to a family of membrane proteins that allow passage of water and certain other solutes through biological membranes.1 The family is composed of 13 members (AQP-0 to AQP-12). Little is known about the function of the two newest members, AQP-11 and AQP-12.nThe aquaporins can be divided into two functional groups based on their permability characteristics: the aquaporins that are permeated primarily by water and include besides AQP-8, AQP-1, AQP-2, AQP4 and AQP-5, and the aquaglyceroporins that are permeated by water and other small solutes such as glycerol. This last group includes AQP-3, AQP-7, AQP-9 and AQP-10.
