Physiological and pathophysiological role of ion channels and transporters in the colorectum and colorectal cancer

The incidence of colorectal cancer has increased annually, and the pathogenesis of this disease requires further investigation. In normal colorectal tissues, ion channels and transporters maintain the water‐electrolyte balance and acid/base homeostasis. However, dysfunction of these ion channels and transporters leads to the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Therefore, this review focuses on the progress in understanding the roles of ion channels and transporters in the colorectum and in colorectal cancer, including aquaporins (AQPs), Cl(−) channels, Cl(−)/ [Formula: see text] exchangers, Na(+)/ [Formula: see text] transporters and Na(+)/H(+) exchangers. The goal of this review is to promote the identification of new targets for the treatment and prognosis of colorectal cancer.