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Secretary General
Physiology & BiophysicsSchool of Medicine Case Western Reserve University 10900 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH44106-4970 USA Phone: 1 216 368 5298 Fax: 1 216 368 5586 Walter.Boron@case.edu Website |
We have three major research areas (see below). These evolved from our longstanding interest in intracellular pH (pHi) homeostasis, which is critically important because virtually every biological process—cell division, metabolism, action of channels/transporters/structural proteins—depends on pHi. Our three projects interact philosophically and technically. Philosophically, pHi homeostasis depends on HCO3− and H+ transport across cell membranes, which in turn depends on pH, [CO2] and [HCO3−] in the extracellular (o) fluid. The kidneys regulate pHo by regulating [HCO3−]o—and they do this by using novel sensors to sniff CO2 and HCO3− in the blood. The lungs, controlled by brainstem neurons, regulate pHo by regulating [CO2]o. The whole system depends on movements of CO2 (and other gases) through gas channels in the cell membrane. Technically, our projects exploit technologies ranging from structural biology, through molecular and cell physiology, to whole tissues and organisms.