Membrane channel

Channel (broadcasting)

Engineering

Aquaporin

Receptor

Nanotechnology

Biochemical engineering

Chemistry

Materials science

Inlet

Water channel

Water flow

Water transport

Computer science

Membrane

Ion channel

Biochemistry

Telecommunications

Mechanical engineering

Environmental engineering

Annual Review of Materials Research

Aquaporins (AQPs) are naturally occurring water channel proteins. They can facilitate water molecule translocation across cellular membranes with exceptional selectivity and high permeability that are unmatched in synthetic membrane systems. These unique properties of AQPs have led to their use as functional elements in membranes in recent years. However, the intricate nature of AQPs and concerns regarding their stability and processability have encouraged researchers to develop synthetic channels that mimic the structure and properties of AQPs and other biological water-conducting channels. These channels have been termed artificial water channels. This article reviews current progress and provides a historical perspective as well as an outlook toward developing scalable membranes based on artificial water channels.

Design Considerations for Artificial Water Channel–Based Membranes