Aquaporin-1 is a Maxwell's Demon in the Body

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is a membrane protein which is selectively permeable to water. Due to its hourglass shape, AQP1 can sense the information of solute molecules in osmosis. At the cost of consuming this information, AQP1 can move water against its chemical potential gradient: it works as one kind of Maxwellu0027s Demon. This effect was detected quantitatively by measuring the water osmosis of mice erythrocytes. This ability may protect the erythrocytes from the eryptosis elicited by osmotic shock when they move in the kidney, where a large gradient of urea is required for the urine concentrating mechanism. This finding anticipates a new beginning of inquiries into the complicated relationships among mass, energy and information in bio-systems.