University of Pittsburgh Department of Cell Biology

  • Research

    We use imaging, biochemical, genomic, and modeling approaches to study the regulation of apical membrane traffic in the kidney proximal tubule. Robust apical endocytosis is an essential function of proximal tubule cells and defects in this pathway cause tubular proteinuria that can lead to end stage kidney disease. We are working to identify the compartments and machinery that mediate apical endocytosis in these highly specialized cells, to understand how this pathway is regulated by physiologic stimuli including mechanosensitive cues, and to determine the molecular basis of genetic disorders and other diseases that result in tubular proteinuria.

  • Publications

    1. Cui, S., C.J. Guerriero, C.M. Szalinski, C.L. Kinlough, R.P. Hughey and O.A. Weisz. OCRL1 function in renal epithelial membrane traffic. Am. J. Physiol.: Renal Physiol. 298(2): F335-F345, 2010
    2. Cresawn, K.O., Potter, B.A., Oztan, A., Guerriero, C.J., Ihrke, G., Goldenring, J.R., Apodaca, G, and Weisz, O.A. (2007) Differential involvement of endocytic compartments in the biosynthetic traffic of apical proteins. EMBO J. 26:3737-3748
    3. Blumental-Perry, A., Haney, C.J., Weixel, K.M., Watkins, S.C., Weisz, O.A., and Aridor, M. (2006) Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate formation at ER exit sites regulates ER export. Dev. Cell. 11:671-682.
    4. Guerriero, C.J., Weixel, K.M., Bruns, J.R., and Weisz, O.A. (2006) Phosphatidylinositol 5-kinase stimulates apical biosynthetic delivery via an Arp2/3-dependent mechanism. J. Biol. Chem. 281:15376-15384.
    5. Potter, B.A., Weixel, K.M., Bruns, J.R., Ihrke, G., and Weisz, O.A. (2006) N-glycans mediate apical recycling of the sialomucin endolyn in polarized MDCK cells. Traffic. 7:146-154.
    6. Weixel, K.M., Blumental-Perry, A., Watkins, S.C., Aridor, M., and Weisz, O.A. (2005) Distinct Golgi populations of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate regulated by phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases. J. Biol. Chem. 280:10501-10508.

     

Quick Links