Molecular mechanisms underlying Ca²⁺ homeostasis 

of cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscle cells

Purified sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum are fused to planar lipid bilayers to study the pharmacological regulation of Ca²⁺ channels and their kinetics of activation by laser flash photolysis of caged compounds; measurement of Ca²⁺ currents and intracellular Ca²⁺ levels in vivo using the patch-clamp technique in cells loaded with fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicators. Research includes excitation-contraction coupling, intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling, and mechanisms of operation of ligand-gated Ca²⁺ channels.

Contact Information for the Valdivia Lab

Telephone 

608-265-5961

FAX

608-265-5512

Postal address

Dept. of Physiology

University of Wisconsin-Madison

        1300 University Ave.

Madison, WI 53706

Electronic mail

Webmaster: benkusky@physiology.wisc.edu

Send mail to benkusky@physiology.wisc.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: August 22, 2002