Transient receptor potential canonical subtype 4 (TRPC4) is expressed in the magnocellular paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus. In this study, the regulation of TRPC4 expression was investigated in water deprivation and hepatic cirrhosis. We utilized laser capture microdissection technique for precise dissection of pure arginine-vasopressin (AVP) cell population in the PVN and SON followed by quantitative real time RT-PCR, and immunodetection techniques by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. Bile duct ligation elevated TRPC4 transcripts in the SON but not PVN with correlated changes in the protein expression in these regions as well as increased colocalization with AVP in the SON with no changes in the PVN. Water deprivation resulted in increased TRPC4 mRNA expression in the PVN while it decreased channel expression levels in the SON. In both these regions, protein expression measured from tissue punches were unaltered following water deprivation with no changes in the number of TRPC4 positive cells. Thus, TRPC4 expression is differentially regulated in physiological and pathophysiological models of vasopressin release.