CELL PHYSIOLOGY

 

  

 

Research

Team

Collaborations

Publications

RESEARCH

 

Role of TRP channels in cell physiology
Our laboratory studies the mechanisms regulating Ca2+ fluxes between intracellular medium, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria and extracellular medium. In particular, we focused our research on TRP (Transient Receptor Potential) ion channels. Besides deciphering the gating mechanisms and the pharmacological properties of these channels, we try to understand their involvement in muscle contraction, in cell migration, proliferation and in apoptotic cell death. Recently, we began to investigate their role in brain, in particular in learning and memory processes.
TRP channels
TRP cationic channels constitute a large family of almost ubiquitously expressed proteins. The family was designated TRP because of a spontaneously occurring mutation in Drosophila, the photoreceptors of which lacked TRP protein and responded to a continuous light stimulus with a transient receptor potential response. The homologous proteins in mammalian cells seem to mediate cellular responses to a large variety of extracellular signals such as agonists, pheromones, odorant ligands, temperature, pH, osmolarity, oxidative stress.... Some isoforms also seem to be activated by depletion of intracellular Ca2+-stores. The activation and regulation mechanisms of TRP channels are largely unknown and diverse. On the basis of amino acids homologies, the mammalian TRP channel superfamily can be divided into six subfamilies: TRPC (Canonical), TRPV (Vanilloid), TRPM (Melastatin), TRPA1
(Ankyrin), TRPP (Polycystin) and TRPML (Mucolipin).

The current projects are:

1. TRP channels and Duchenne muscular dystrophy
2. TRP channels and cell migration, cell death and proliferation
3. Role of TRP channels in learning and memory

 

TEAM

 

Principal Investigators

• Philippe GAILLY, MD, PhD, Head of Unit
• Nicolas TAJEDDINE, MD, PhD 

Postdoctorate Fellows

• Olivier SCHAKMAN , Postdoctorate Fellow
• Roberta GUALDANI, Postdoctorate Fellow

PhD Students

• Sophie LEPANNETIER, PhD Student
• Noemie EMERIAU, PhD Student
• Anna KREIS, PhD Student

Technical and administrative staff

• Marie de Clippele , Technician
• Xavier Yerna , Technician
• Sabrina Tempesta, Technician
• Romelia DE JESUS CARVAJAL USUGA, Technician
• Cathy FRIAND, Administrative Assistant

COLLABORATIONS

 

• National collaborations
  Jean-Noël Octave FARM UCL
  Olivier Devuyst NEFR UCL
  Bertrand Tombal URO UCL
  Luc Bertrand, Christophe Bauloye CARD UCL
  Pedro Buc Calderon PMNT UCL

  International collaborations
  Christian Cognard, Bruno Constantin Université de Poitiers, France
  Alexander Dietrich University of Marburg, Germany
  Urs Ruegg, Université de Genève, Suisse