Aquaporins are channels facilitating the membrane diffusion of water but also small solutes such as urea, CO2, H2O2, ammonium, metalloids, etc. This book, co-edited by François Chaumont from the ISV and Steve Tyerman (University of Adelaide), integrates exciting data illustrating the various regulation mechanisms leading to active aquaporins in their target membranes and addresses the involvement of different aquaporins in many physiological processes at different cell, organ and tissue levels and in several environmental conditions. It includes the roles and regulation of aquaporins in plant water homeostasis, but also in plant distribution of other small solutes including nitrogen, CO2 and metalloids. There are still many more discoveries to be made in how aquaporins are regulated and how their selectivity to different solutes are controlled, particularly those that appear to have dual permeation properties. Their interaction with plant mycorrhizae and their contribution in signaling processes are also discussed. This volume, by the diversity of the aspects developed in the different chapters, illustrates the importance of the aquaporins and their regulation in controlling plant physiology and development.
