塔里木兔肾脏水通道蛋白在适应干旱环境中的作用

Role of aquaporins in kindneys in adaptation to arid environment in yarkand hares(Lepus yarcandensis)

塔里木兔（却泌yarcandensis）属兔形目（Lagomorphs）、兔科（Leporidae）．、兔属（Lepus），在世界范围内仅分布于塔里木盆地周缘和塔克拉玛干沙漠内一些不连续的小块绿洲中，为塔里木盆地特有物种（高康军等，1996），其生存环境为极度干旱的大陆性气候，年降水量不足100mm，大多在50mm以下，降水稀少，蒸发强烈，空气十分干燥。由于长期生活在干旱缺水的环境中，其体型较小，是中国所有野兔中个体最小的一种（夏霖和杨奇森，2004）。通过生化指标的比较发现，

We measured the expression of aquaporin （AQP） 1 -3 in kidneys of yarkand hares （Lepuz yarcandensis ） to understand the role of AQPs in adaptation to drought environment. We used H. E staining methods for detecting the histo- logical structure of kidneys, and immunohistoehemistry and western blotting for detecting expression of AQP1 - 3 in kid- neys, and also compared the results with those from domestic rabbits. Results showed that AQP1 is localized in capillary endothelial cell cytoplasm in glomeruli, and continued uninterrupted from proximal straight tubules into descending thin limbs in the outer medulla. AQP2 is observed in epithelial cells membrane in collecting ducts. AQP3 is localized in con- necting tubules of the cortex and the outer medulla and epithelial cell basal membrane in collecting ducts. The expression of AQP1 - 3 in kidneys is greater and the protein content is higher in yarkand hares than in domestic rabbits. These results indicate that the yarkand hare has increased the expression of aquaporins in kidneys, strengthened renal reabsorption of wa- ter and the ability for concentrating the urine, improving the ability for adaptation to arid environment.