Research Associate Professor
of Physiology
Research Associate Professor
of Physiology
Research Interests
Uptake and intracellular distribution of lipids, excitation-contraction coupling, cross-bridge mechanics in muscle, and cellular regulation of Ca2+.
Research Techniques
Immunofluorescence, in situ hybridization, fluorescence polarization. Electron microscopy, quantitative electron probe x-ray microanalysis, x-ray fluorescence mapping, electron energy loss imaging, energy loss spectroscopy, photoaffinity labeling, confocal and video light microscopy.
Summary of Research Program
Lung surfactant is a complex mixture of lipids and proteins which functions to lower the surface tension of the air-water interface of the alveolar hypophase. Lung epithelial type II cells regulate the alveolar surfactant pool size by both secreting the contents of lamellar bodies, the surfactant storage vesicle, into the alveolar space and also retrieving surfactant from the alveolar space. The surfactant lipid is taken up by two pathways, one clathrin dependent and the other actin dependent. Our current research is aimed at 1) determining the molecular mechanisms for these two lipid endocytosis pathways and 2) identifying the lamellar body membrane components involved in organelle biogenesis.
Key References