AVPR2 is expressed in the kidney tubule, predominantly in the distal convoluted tubule and collecting ducts, in fetallung tissue and lung cancer, the last two being associated with alternative splicing. AVPR2 is also expressed outside the kidney and when stimulated a variety of clotting factors are released into the bloodstream.
In kidney AVPR2's primary property is to respond to arginine vasopressin by stimulating mechanisms that concentrate the urine and maintain waterhomeostasis in the organism. When the function of AVPR2 is lost, the disease Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus (NDI) results.