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uiowa
eduThe lab has two main areas of interest, the biology of DEG/ENaC channels and cystic fibrosis. DEG/ENaC channels are a novel family of non-voltage gated cation channels, including ASIC1, -2, and -3 in mammals and the Pickpocket genes in Drosophila.
In the peripheral nervous system, they may serve as sensory receptors and/or influence sensation, including touch, temperature, salt taste, moisture, and pain. We are examining the function, cell biology, physiology and behavioral role of these channels in vitro and in genetically altered flies and mice.
We also study the function of these channels in the central nervous system where they play an important role in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory and fear. They also play a role in pathological conditions, including ischemia, traumatic brain injury, seizure termination, and multiple sclerosis, and perhaps in panic and anxiety disorders.
The lab offers the opportunity to take a variety of approaches to this field and to work with investigators with diverse expertise. This research should lead to a better understanding of normal neuronal biology, pathophysiology, and novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
Selected Publications
Ben-Shahar Y, Nannapaneni K, Casavant TL, Scheetz TE, and Welsh MJ. Eukaryotic Operon-Like Transcription of Functional Related Genes in Drosophila. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104:222-227, 2007.
Liu, L, Li, Y, Wang, R, Yin, C, Dong, Q, Hing H, Kim C, and Welsh MJ. Drosophila Hygrosensation Requires the TRP Channels Water Witch, Nanchung, and Inactive. Nature, 450:294-298, 2007.
Friese MA, Craner MJ, Etzensperger R, Vergo S, Wemmie JA, Welsh MJ, Vincent A, and Fugger L. Acid-sensing Ion Channel-1 Contributes to Axonal Degeneration in Autoimmune Inflammation of the Central Nervous System. Nature Med., 13: 1484-1489. 2007.
Petroff EY, Price MP, Snitsarev V, Gong H, Korovkina V, Abboud FM, and Welsh MJ. Acid Sensing Ion Channels Interact with and Inhibit BK K + Channels. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 105:3140-3144, 2008.
Ziemann AE, Schnizler MK, Albert GW, Severson MA, Howard MA III, Welsh MJ, and Wemmie JA. Seizure Termination by Acidosis Depends on ASIC1a. Nat. Neurosci., 11:816-822, 2008.
Rogers CS, Stoltz DA, Meyerholz DK, Ostedgaard LS, Rokhlina T, Taft PJ, Rogan MP, Pezzulo AA, Karp PH, Itani OA, Kabel AC, Wohlford-Lenane CL, Davis GJ, Smith TL, Samuel M, Wax D, Murphy CN, Rieke A, Whitworth K, Uc A, Starner TD, Brogden KA, Shilyansky J, McCray, Jr. PB, Zabner J, Prather RS, and Michael J. Welsh. Disruption of the CFTR Gene Produces a Model of Cystic Fibrosis in Newborn Pigs. Science, 321:1837-1841, 2008.