[Ion channels in the kidney: molecular biological aspects].

Ion channels in renal tubules are involved in maintenance of the volume and ion composition of the body. In the kidney these channels are expressed at the apical and/or basolateral cell membranes and are responsible for vectorial ion transport. Structure and function of the renal ion channels differs from those of previous channels which were cloned in excitable tissues. In this review I outline the various types of ion channels in renal and non-renal cells and give examples that emphasize the physiological roles of these channels in the nephron.