Astrocytes have distinctive morphological and functional characteristics, and are found throughout the central nervous system. Astrocytes are now known to be far more than just housekeeping cells in the brain. Their functions include contributing to the formation of the blood–brain barrier, physically and metabolically supporting and communicating with neurons, regulating the formation and functions of synapses, and maintaining water homeostasis and the microenvironment in the brain. Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane proteins responsible for fast water movement across cell membranes. Various subtypes of AQPs (AQP1, AQP3, AQP4, AQP5, AQP8 and AQP9) have been reported to be expressed in astrocytes, and the expressions and subcellular localizations of AQPs in astrocytes are highly correlated with both their physiological and pathophysiological functions. This review describes and summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of astrocytes and AQPs in regard to controlling water homeostasis in the brain. Findings regarding the features of different AQP subtypes, such as their expression, subcellular localization, physiological functions, and the pathophysiological roles of astrocytes are presented, with brain edema and glioma serving as two representative AQP-associated pathological conditions. The aim is to provide a better insight into the elaborate “water distribution” system in cells, exemplified by astrocytes, under normal and pathological conditions.

Background: It is generally accepted that for patients with multivessel disease and myocardial infarction, complete revascularization is preferable than culprit‐only revascularization. However, existing studies comparing coronary physiology‐guided versus angiography‐guided complete revascularization percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) present conflicting conclusions. Methods: The investigation involved a comprehensive search of PubMed/Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library for studies comparing coronary physiology‐guided with angiography‐guided PCI in patients with MI‐MVD. Clinical endpoints, including major adverse cardiovascular events, all‐cause mortality, recurrent MI, major adverse cardiac and cerebral event, planned revascularization, repeated revascularization, average stent number per patient, heart failure, and contrast nephropathy during any follow‐up period post PCI, were considered for analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for binary and continuous variables, respectively. The analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.1. Results: Our analysis included a total of 2493 patients from 5 studies. The physiology‐guided PCI group exhibited a lower rate of planned revascularization (OR: 0.10, 95% CIs: 0.07–0.14, p ≤ 0.001, and I ² = 96.6%) and average stent number per patient (mean difference: −0.47, 95% CIs: −0.56–−0.38, p ≤ 0.001, and I ² = 58.6%). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding major adverse cardiac event (MACE) (OR: 0.89, 95% CIs: 0.63–1.26, p = 0.520, and I ² = 67.8%), all‐cause mortality (OR: 0.65, 95% CIs: 0.38–1.12, p = 0.120, and I ² = 50.5%), recurrent MI (OR: 0.74, 95% CIs: 0.28–2.00, p = 0.558, and I ² = 77.2%), major adverse cardiac and cerebral event (MACCE) (OR = 0.77, 95% CIs: 0.43–1.37, p = 0.378, and I ² = 0%), repeated revascularization (OR = 1.47, 95% CIs: 0.54–3.99, p = 0.452, and I ² = 76.5%), heart failure (OR: 1.04, 95% CIs: 0.43–2.56, p = 0.924, and I ² = 0%), and contrast nephropathy (OR: 1.26, 95% CIs: 0.27–5.81, p = 0.766, and I ² = 0%). Conclusions: Among patients with MI‐MVD, physiology‐guided PCI appeared to reduce the need for planned revascularization without triggering repeated revascularization, leading to fewer stents compared with angiography‐guided PCI. Other prespecified clinical outcomes including MACE, all‐cause mortality, recurrent MI, MACCE, heart failure, and contrast nephropathy were not significantly different between these two approaches.

SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) improve outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF), but their effects may depend on background medical therapy. The Heart Fail