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Faculty
 Alan
Fein
Professor of Cell Biology
afein@neuron.uchc.edu
Areas of Interest:
My research has two primary goals. The first is to elucidate the
molecular basis of visual excitation and adaptation. The basic approach
is to use electrophysiological and pharmacological techniques to study
phototransduction of individual photoreceptor cells. The second, done in
collaboration with Dr. Terasaki, is to study membrane disruption and
repair using combined electrophysiological and optical techniques.
Lab Rotation Projects: Fein/Terasaki Lab
Cell Wounding Project
We have developed an electrophysiological method for studying plasma
membrane wound repair in single cells. Large plasma membrane disruptions
in starfish oocytes, made by femtosecond pulses from a Ti-Sapphire
laser, are repaired within a few seconds as shown by stabilization of
membrane electrical properties and restoration of dye exclusion. The
membrane potential after wounding is sensitive to the extracellular Cl-
concentration but not to that of Na+, K+ or H+ indicating that Cl-
permeable intracellular membranes have fused with the plasma membrane.
We believe that cell wounding provides a novel means for the
electrophysiological analysis of chloride permeable intracellular
membranes that have been translocated to the plasma membrane.
Dr. Fein's Departmental Web Page
Selected Publications:
Fein, A., and Terasaki, M. 2005. Rapid increase in plasma membrane
chloride permeability during wound resealing in starfish oocytes. J.
Gen. Physiol. 126: 151-159.
Fein, A. 2003. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium release
is necessary for generating the entire light response of Limulus
ventral photoreceptors. J. General Physiology. 121: 441-449.
Fein, A. and S. Bernaski. 2000. Divergent mechanisms for
phototransduction of invertebrate microvillar photoreceptors. Visual
Neuroscience 17: 911-917.
Tertyshnikova, S. and A. Fein. 2000. Dual regulation of calcium
mobilization by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in a living cell. J. Gen.
Physiol. 115: 481-489.
La Plante, J.M., O'Rourke, F., Lu, X., Fein, A., Olsen, A. and M.B.
Feinstein. 2000. Cloning of a human cDNA which encodes CHERP, a novel
Calcium Homeostasis Endoplasmic Reticulum Protein: regulated expression
of antisense cDNA depletes CHERP, inhibits intracellular calcium
mobilization by thrombin and decreases cell proliferation in HEL cells.
Biochemical J. 348: 189-199. |
