Epidermal aquaporin-3 is increased in the cutaneous burn wound

Highlights • In the skin, AQPs permit rapid, regulated, and selective water permeability and have been demonstrated to play a role in skin hydration, cell proliferation, migration, immunity, and wound healing. • The burn wound edge demonstrates a partial loss of the epidermal architecture representing a partial thickness burn. • In the burn wound center there is a complete loss of the epidermis and dermis representing a full thickness burn. • Aquaporin-3 expression is absent in the burn wound center. • There is a significant increase in the quantity of aquaporin-3 expression along the burn wound edge compared to the burn wound center.