Research
My research is focused on functional study of cell-cell communications through gap junction channels. Gap junction channels are composed of connexins (Cxs), all of which are transmembrane proteins with 4 transmembrane domains (M1-4), two extracellular loops (E1 and E2), one cytoplasmic loop (CL), and with both amino terminus (NT) and carboxyl terminus (CT) in the cytosal. Six connexins oligomerize to form a hemichannel and two hemichannels dock back-to-back to form a gap junction channel. Depending on the connexin types and the way they oligomerize in a gap junction channel, numerous types of gap junction channels can be formed.
Three areas we currently focus on:
- Characterizing human disease-linked connexin mutants
- Mechanisms of heterotypic docking
- Structure-function study on Vj-gating and single channel conductance
