Also supported is fundamental and applied research directed at normal renal structure, function and regulation. The ability to maintain a constant systemic environment is a critical requirement to maintain the normal health of an organ. At the cellular level, specific transport pathways maintain both the intracellular environment as well as providing the mechanisms that drive the maintenance of systemic balance.
Cellular transport is mediated by specific membrane proteins.
To understand the physiology and pathophysiology of homeostatic balance requires an understanding of how they are regulated. Methods for identifying and isolating the proteins or the genes for the proteins are available using contemporary cellular and molecular biological approaches. Such approaches have been used successfully to isolate a number of transporters from kidney, prostate, red blood cells, and other cells, making it possible to understand normal homeostatic mechanisms, as well as those leading to pathology of the homeostatic system. Responsibility for planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. Fundamental information has been accumulated on the molecular architecture of the red cell membrane skeleton.