Band 3 in cell volume regulation in fish erythrocytes.

Erythrocytes of the skate (Raja erinacea) demonstrate a regulatory volume decrease response when exposed to hypotonic stress by releasing taurine and other organic osmolytes. We review the transport characteristics, physical changes and signaling pathways of a volume-activated osmolyte channel associated with band 3 in skate red blood cells that can be distinguished from anion channels and is separate from the anion exchanger function of band 3.