WNK kinases and the kidney.

ABSTRACT: In the kidney, the renal tubule plays a major role in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. This balance is achieved by an interplay between various hormones and nerves that signal changes throughout the body and transfer these signals to transport proteins. Increased or reduced activity of these transporters helps to restore homeostasis, but can also contribute to disease (e.g. sodium retention in hypertension). In recent years, it has become clear that the signal transfer to transporters is largely mediated by kinases. Among these, WNK kinases (With No lysine=K) stand out, because they regulate the major sodium and potassium transporters in the distal nephron. Moreover, mutations in genes encoding WNK kinases result in an inherited form of salt-sensitive hypertension with hyperkalem

SUBMITTER: Hoorn EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3922210 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature