TTUHSC School of Medicine
Physiology

Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics

Photograph of Dr. Reuss

Luis Reuss

Professor and Chair of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics

 M.D., University of Chile, Santiago, Chile, 1964

Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
3601 4th Street, STOP 6551
Lubbock, Texas 79430-6551
Phone: (806) 743-2627
FAX: (806) 743-1512
Email: Luis.Reuss@ttuhsc.edu
Research Interests

Research in my laboratory involves two areas:

Structural biology of membrane proteins involved in ion transport: our current focus is on connexin 43 (Cx43), which forms gap-junction channels in heart, brain and kidney, as well as in vascular endothelial cells. Gap junctions are formed by the docking of hemichannels (connexin hexamers) from neighboring cells and permit intercellular fluxes of ions and other solutes, up to ca. 1,000 Da. They are essential in the development and function of numerous organs, including those listed above. We have expressed Cx43 in frog oocytes, to study its function, and have also overexpressed it in insect cells, purified and reconstituted it in liposomes to study its structure and function. These studies are performed in collaboration with Drs. Guillermo Altenberg and Luis G. Cuello.

Role of ion channels in cell injury: our main focus is the pathophysiologic function of gap junction hemichannels, which can be activated by cell depolarization, ATP depletion or nitrosylation and may be conducive to cell death by apoptosis or necrosis. These studies are performed in collaboration with Dr. Mauricio Retamal (Universidad del Dessarrollo, Santiago, Chile).

Full Curriculum Vitae

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

 
Bao, X.;  Lee, S.C.;  Reuss, L.; Altenberg, G.A. Change in permeant size-selectivity by phosphorylation of connexin 43 gap-junctional hemichannels by PKC. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 104:4919-4924, 2007.

Retamal, M.A.; Yin, S.-Y.; Altenberg, G.A.; Reuss, L. Modulation of Cx46 hemichannels by nitric oxide. Am. J. Physiol. Cell. Physiol. 296: C1356-C1363, 2009.

Retamal, M.A.; Altenberg, G.A.; Reuss, L. Voltage-dependent facilitation of Cx46 hemichannels Am. J. Physiol. Cell. Physiol. 298:C132-C139, 2010.

Retamal, M.A.; Evangelista-Martinez, F.; Leon-Paravic, C.; Altenberg, G.A.; Reuss, L. Biphasic effect of     linoleic acid on connexin 46 hemichannels. Pflugers Arch. Eur. J. Physiol. 461:635-643, 2011.

Young, G.; Reuss, L.; Altenberg, G.A. Altered intracellular pH regulation in cells with high levels of P-glycoprotein expression. Int. J. Biochem. Mol. Biol, In press, 2011.

Reuss, L. Water Transport across Cell Membranes. In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester, 2008 http://www.els.net/ [DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020621]

Reuss, L.  Mechanisms of ion transport across cell membranes and epithelia.  In: The Kidney, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Edition, R.J. Alpern and S.C., Hebert, editors. Elsevier, 2008.

Reuss, L.  Mechanisms of water transport across cell membranes and epithelia.  In: The Kidney, Physiology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Edition, R.J. Alpern and S.C. Hebert, editors. Elsevier, 2008.

Reuss, L. Water Transport by Epithelia. In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester. 2009. http://www.els.net/ [DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020622]

Reuss L. Ion Transport across Nonexcitable Membranes. In: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE SCIENCES 2011, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester http://www.els.net/ [DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902. a0001264.pub3]