Organic anion transport across the choroid plexus

Several organic anion transport systems have recently been identified and localized at the apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains of choroid plexus epithelial cells. These organic anion transporters include (1) indirectly coupled Na+/dicarboxylate cotransport and dicarbaxylate/organic anion exchange, which is represented on the molecular level by a member of the "kidney"-type organic anion transporter (OAT) family at the apical plasma membrane domain; (2) the organic anion transporting polypeptide 1 (Oatp1) and Oatp2, which both mediate typical "liver"-like organic anion transport activities at the apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains, respectively; and (3) the multidrug resistance protein Mrp1/MRP1 at the basolateral plasma membrane domain, and the P-glycoprotein Mdr1/MDR1 at an apical and subapical membrane vesicle compartment. This cellular transport polarity can account, at least in part, for the previously suggested physiologic transport properties of the choroid plexus epithelium and provides a framework for the identification and localization of additional organic anion transporters involved in the absorption and/or excretion of drugs and drug metabolites at the choroid plexus. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.