Jesus Fernando Garcia-Diaz, PhD

Associate Professor, Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics

Jesus Garcia-Diaz
617.358.8477
700 Albany St Ctr for Adv Biomed Res

Biography

Research in my lab centers on the regulation of ion channel expression during neuronal differentiation and on the modulation of ion channel activity by certain neurotransmitters. We use cell culture techniques, electrophysiology and fluorescence microscopy to analyze the expression pattern and regulation of ion channels in cochlear ganglion (CG) neurons during development. Spiral or cochlear ganglion neurons are responsible for the faithful transmission of sound information from the hair cells in the organ of Corti (the sound transducing elements) to the cochlear nucleus in the brain and, thus, are endowed with a set of fast activating voltage-gated ion channels. We have analyzed the temporal pattern of expression of voltage-gated sodium, calcium and potassium channels in chick embryo CG neurons and found functionally relevant correlations between the development of membrane currents and the innervation pattern of the cochlea (Garcia-Diaz et al., 1998; Garcia-Diaz, 1999). We are also investigating whether certain members of the nerve growth factor family of proteins (neurotrophins), released by the target cells of neurons, regulate the expression of ion channels during embryonic development (Jimenez et al., 1997; Garcia-Diaz, 1999). On the other hand, efferent innervation acting through muscarinic and purinergic receptors modulates the firing response of CG neurons to sound information. We are presently investigating whether the activation of these receptors, and the ensuing signaling events, modulate a cloned non-inactivating potassium channel transfected in a heterologous system.

Other Positions

  • Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Websites

Education

  • Universidad de Málaga, PhD
  • Indiana University Bloomington, MS
  • Universidad de Zaragoza, BS

Classes Taught

  • DMD 510
  • GMS FC717
  • GMSPH730
  • GMSPH731
  • MEDMS145
  • PS 702

Publications

  • Published on 9/1/1999

    García-Díaz JF. Development of a fast transient potassium current in chick cochlear ganglion neurons. Hear Res. 1999 Sep; 135(1-2):124-34. PMID: 10491961.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 4/1/1997

    Jiménez C, Giréldez F, Represa J, García-Díaz JF. Calcium currents in dissociated cochlear neurons from the chick embryo and their modification by neurotrophin-3. Neuroscience. 1997 Apr; 77(3):673-82. PMID: 9070744.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 12/4/1996

    Gaposchkin CG, Garcia-Diaz JF. Modulation of cultured brain, adrenal, and aortic endothelial cell glucose transport. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1996 Dec 4; 1285(2):255-66. PMID: 8972710.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 2/1/1996

    Kim NN, Kim JJ, Hypolite J, García-Díaz JF, Broderick GA, Tornheim K, Daley JT, Levin R, Saenz de Tejada I. Altered contractility of rabbit penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle by hypoxia. J Urol. 1996 Feb; 155(2):772-8. PMID: 8558723.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 7/1/1991

    García-Díaz JF. Whole-cell and single channel K+ and Cl- currents in epithelial cells of frog skin. J Gen Physiol. 1991 Jul; 98(1):131-61. PMID: 1719124.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 11/1/1988

    Nagel W, García-Díaz JF, Essig A. Voltage dependence of cellular current and conductances in frog skin. J Membr Biol. 1988 Nov; 106(1):13-28. PMID: 3265730.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 1/1/1986

    García-Díaz JF, Klemperer G, Baxendale LM, Essig A. Cell sodium activity and sodium pump function in frog skin. J Membr Biol. 1986; 92(1):37-46. PMID: 3489101.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 1/1/1986

    Klemperer G, Garcia-Diaz JF, Nagel W, Essig A. Basolateral membrane potential and conductance in frog skin exposed to high serosal potassium. J Membr Biol. 1986; 90(1):89-96. PMID: 3486296.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 9/1/1985

    Garcia-Diaz JF, Essig A. Capacitative transients in voltage-clamped epithelia. Biophys J. 1985 Sep; 48(3):519-23. PMID: 4041541.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 1/1/1985

    García-Díaz JF, Baxendale LM, Klemperer G, Essig A. Cell K activity in frog skin in the presence and absence of cell current. J Membr Biol. 1985; 85(2):143-58. PMID: 3874286.

    Read at: PubMed

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