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Paulo Kofuji, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience E-mail: kofuj001@umn.edu

Research Interests:

Research in our laboratory uses various molecular, genetic and electrophysiological techniques to study the functional roles of potassium channels in the nervous system with particular emphasis on the inwardly rectifying (Kir) channels. Molecular techniques are used to study the cellular and subcellular distribution of Kir channels and their functional and biophysical properties on expression in heterologous systems such as Xenopus oocytes or mammalian cell lines. In addition, the laboratory has generated mice carrying targeted deletions of specific Kir channel genes to determine their function "in vivo". Among these, the Kir4.1 channel "knock out" mice display motor, sensory deficits and shorter life span. We are currently investigating the role of Kir4.1 channels in regulation of extracellular potassium in retina and other tissues.

Selected Publications:

Ma H, Lesné S, Kotilinek L, Steidl-Nichols JV, Sherman M, Younkin L, Younkin S, Forster C, Sergeant N, Delacourte A, Vassar R, Citron M, Kofuji P, Boland LM, Ashe KH. Involvement of beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) in amyloid precursor protein-mediated enhancement of memory and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 8;104(19):8167-72.

Metea MR, Kofuji P, Newman EA. Neurovascular coupling is not mediated by potassium siphoning from glial cells. J Neurosci. 2007 Mar 7;27(10):2468-71.

Connors NC, Kofuji P. Potassium channel Kir4.1 macromolecular complex in retinal glial cells. Glia. 2006 Jan 15;53(2):124-31.

Clark JP 3rd, Sampair CS, Kofuji P, Nath A, Ding JM. HIV protein, transactivator of transcription, alters circadian rhythms through the light entrainment pathway. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Sep;289(3):R656-62.

Kofuji P, Newman EA. Potassium buffering in the central nervous system. Neuroscience. 2004;129(4):1045-56.

Wu J, Marmorstein AD, Kofuji P, Peachey NS. Contribution of Kir4.1 to the mouse electroretinogram. Mol Vis. 2004 Sep 1;10:650-4.

Connors NC, Adams ME, Froehner SC, Kofuji P. The potassium channel Kir4.1 associates with the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex via alpha-syntrophin in glia. J Biol Chem. 2004 Jul 2;279(27):28387-92.

Current Graduate Students:

Tiffany Schmidt (Neuroscience, University of Minnesota).

Former Graduate Students:

John Patrick (JP) Clark (Ph.D. 2004, Neuroscience, University of Minnesota).

Nathan Connors (Ph.D. 2004, Neuroscience, University of Minnesota).