Jorge Fischbarg, M.D.,Ph. Dr. Fischbarg's laboratory is interested in the mechanism by which water is transported across epithelial layers such as those in the cornea and other organs of the eye. These mechanisms are crucial for ocular functions such as maintaining corneal transparency and normal intraocular pressure.
Work is done at the cellular and molecular levels.
Cellular studies include how volume regulation and cell signaling is related to fluid transport. Several proteins of our interest have been cloned in recent years, and provide high-conductance, specific paths for water. Other membrane proteins provide lower conductance but still meaningful paths for water, such as the glucose transporter, whose water conductance was first determined in our laboratory. To study these problems, we utilize a variety of tissues and techniques. We determine osmotic permeability of cells from transient changes in the intensity of light scattered by cultured cells in response to osmotic challenge.