Biophysical tools to investigate connexin channel function and dysfunction
Il 11/07/2017 ore 14.30 - 15.30
Sala Conferenze CNR Area della Ricerca Na1, Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Napoli
Prof. Mario Bortolozzi from University of Padua, will give a seminar on the biophysical tools commonly used to investigate connexin channel function. Connexins are the building blocks of gap junction channels and hemichannels that control intercellular signalling in vertebrates. Hence, their dysfunction frequently underlies human pathogenesis, e.g., deafness, skin diseases and neuropathies. Prof. Bortolozzi’s research activity, placed at VIMM of Padova (http://fondbiomed.it/vimm/mario-bortolozzi/), combines expertise from Physics, Biology and Medicine as connexin function involves structural, chemical and biological aspects. Advanced optical microscopy (2-photon, STED, second and third harmonic generation), electrophysiology as well as systems biology tools are utilized to answer important biological questions. In particular, Prof. Bortolozzi’s group aims to clarify the role of connexin 32 (Cx32) in the peripheral nervous system as Cx32 mutations cause a severe motor and sensory disorder, the X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT1X).
The main research lines of the lab are thus conceived for the study of Cx32 and CMT1X by:
1) In vitro analysis: dual patch clamp and imaging experiments to highlight functional defects in Cx32 gap junction channels carrying CMT1X mutations. Cx32 hemichannel regulation by Ca2+ ions is also a hot topic.
2) In vivo therapeutics: mimetic peptide delivery to myelinating Schwann cells of Cx32 mutant mice to cure or prevent CMT1X.
3) Personalized medicine: development of a human stem cell-derived myelinating neuron/Schwann cell co-culture for the study of Cx32 defects and for drug screening.
4) Systems biology: realistic all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of Cx32 channels to understand their structural and functional properties.
Organizzato da:
Ibp, Cnr
Referente organizzativo:
Alberto Luini
CNR - Istituto di biochimica delle proteine
Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Napoli
a.luini@ibp.cnr.it
081/6132722
Modalità di accesso: ingresso libero