목적: Aquaporins are water channel proteins which enable rapid water movement across the plasma membrane. Aquaporin-5 (AQP5) is the major aquaporin and is expressed on the apical membrane of salivary gland acinar cells. It is well known that total ductal ligation induce atrophy and destruction of acinar cells in submandibular glands of rat. So, expression of AQP-5 is decreased in acinar cell. However, little is known about changes happening following partial duct ligation. In this study, we investigate the expression of AQP-5 in partial ductal ligation compared to total ligation. 방법:Glands that had been 1, 4, and 12 weeks ligated partially or totally. Aquaporin 5 mRNA extracted from the specimens was used for semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The expression levels of aquaporin 5 in the 2 groups were compared through Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemical studies were performed to determine the localization of aquaporin 5. 결과:Both the mRNA and protein levels of aquaporin 5 were significantly increased in 1 and 4 weeks in total and partial obstruction groups. But, after 12 weeks, in the partial obstruction group, AQP-5 mRNA and protein were expressed significantly more than that in the total obstruction group. Especially, AQP-5 protein was localized in ductal epithelial cell in 12 weeks total obstruction group. 결론:We investigated the difference of AQP-5 expression between partial and total obstruction of rat submandibular gland. In partial obstruction group, AQP-5 in acinar cell was well retained compared to total obstruction group. And we found that AQP-5 was also expressed in ductal epithelial cell.