Filtration through the kidney eliminates toxins, manages electrolyte balance, and controls water homeostasis. Reabsorption of water from the luminal fluid of the nephron occurs through aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water pores in principal cells that line the kidney-collecting duct. This vital process is impeded by formation of an "actin barrier" that obstructs the passive transit of AQP2 to the plasma membrane. Bidirectional control of AQP2 trafficking is managed by hormones and signaling enzymes. We have discovered that vasopressin-independent facets of this homeostatic mechanism are under the control of A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 220 (AKAP220; product of the Akap11 gene). CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and imaging approaches show that loss of AKAP220 disrupts apical actin networks in organoid cultures. Similar defects are evident in tissue sections from AKAP220-KO mice. Biochemical analysis of AKAP220-null kidney extracts detected reduced levels of active RhoA GTPase, a well-known modulator of the actin cytoskeleton. Fluorescent imaging of kidney sections from these genetically modified mice revealed that RhoA and AQP2 accumulate at the apical surface of the collecting duct. Consequently, these animals are unable to appropriately dilute urine in response to overhydration. We propose that membrane-proximal signaling complexes constrained by AKAP220 impact the actin barrier dynamics and AQP2 trafficking to ensure water homeostasis. yet only approximately 1.5 L of urine is excreted. The majority of this water is reabsorbed from the luminal fluid of the nephron (1). Regulated water reabsorption in response to dehydration occurs through aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water pores in the principal cells of the collecting duct (2). This is stimulated by the hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP). Vasopressin induces PKA phosphorylation of serine 256 on AQP2 and stimulates its translocation from intracellular vesicles to the apical membranes of cells lining the collecting ducts. Reabsorption of water through the kidney preserves fluid balance and results in more concentrated urine (3, 4). Conversely, when an animal ingests excess water, decreased plasma osmolality inhibits vasopressin release, and AQP2 is recovered from the apical membrane by endocytosis. This renders the collecting duct impermeable to water, thereby diverting excess water through the ureter to the bladder.Not surprisingly, defects in AQP2 trafficking have pathophysiological outcomes. For example, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is associated with impaired vasopressin signaling to AQP2 (5-8). Symptoms include excessive thirst, excretion of a large volume of dilute urine, and electrolyte imbalances, including hypernatremia (1, 5). Hereditary forms of this disease appear in patients with inactivating mutations in the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) or AQP2 (9-12). Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern bidirectional control of AQP2 location may lead to new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of NDI.Although the enzymes and effector proteins that govern AQP2 in...