Camillo Peracchia, M.D.

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Our research has focused for several decades on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the permeability of gap junction channels. These channels mediate direct cell-to-cell exchange of small cytosolic molecules. Cell communication via gap junction channels is becoming an area of research increasingly relevant to clinical medicine. Altered cell-cell communication resulting from mutations of gap junction channel proteins (connexins), plays a key role in the X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth demyelinating peripheral neuropathy, hereditary non-syndromic deafness, hereditary skin disorders, and certain forms of hereditary cataract, and may be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias and cancer. Recently, we have demonstrated a functional interplay between the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel (CFTR) and various connexin channels. The mechanism of channel regulation and gating has been studied in paired Xenopus oocytes by dual voltage-clamp electrophysiology. The molecular domains that participate in channel gating have been studied by combining molecular genetics and biophysics. The participation of calmodulin in channel gating has been suggested by data generated in oocyte pairs expressing calmodulin and connexin mutants.

Current Appointments

• Professor Emeritus - Department of Pharmacology and Physiology (SMD)

Education
Diploma di Maturita', Liceo Classico (Baccalaureate)	Insituto Zaccaria	1956
MD Medicine	Italy-Fac Med U Milan	1962

Post-Doctoral Training & Residency
Research Associate. Dept.of Anatomy. Duke University, Durham, NC.	1967 - 1970
Research Fellow. Biophysics. McLean Hospital. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA	1966 - 1967
Research Fellow. Neuropathology. Harvard Medical School. Boston. Mass.	1966 - 1967
Visiting Surgeon. Cardiac Surgery. Hopital Broussais. Paris, France.	1965
Postdoctoral Fellow. Inst. of Pharmacology. University of Milan, Italy.	1962 - 1966
Surgical Resident. University of Milan, Italy	1962 - 1964

Fellowship Awards
Research Fellowship from the Italian Dept. of Education. University of Milan. Italy.	1964
Research Fellowship from the Italian Dept. of Education. University of Milan. Italy.	1963
Research Fellowship from the Institute of Physiology, University of Milan, Italy	1962

Recent Journal Articles
Showing the 5 most recent journal articles. (80 available)
Chanson, M.; Kotsias, B.A.; Peracchia, C.; O'Grady, S.M. "Interaction of connexins with other membrane channels and transporters". Biochim. Biophys. Acta (2007).
Peracchia, C.; Salim, M.; L.L. Peracchia. "Unusulal slow gating of gap junction channels in oocytes expressing connexin32 or its COOH-terminus truncated mutant". J, Membr. Biol. (2007).
Peracchia C; Salim M; Peracchia LL. "Unusual slow gating of gap junction channels in oocytes expressing connexin32 or its COOH-terminus truncated mutant." The Journal of membrane biology. 2007; 215(2-3):161-8. Epub 2007 Jun 14.
Peracchia C; Peracchia LL. "Inversion of both gating polarity and CO2 sensitivity of voltage gating with D3N mutation of Cx50." American journal of physiology. Cell physiology. 2005; 288(6):C1381-9. Epub 2005 Jan 26.
Kotsias BA; Peracchia C. "Functional interaction between CFTR and Cx45 gap junction channels expressed in oocytes." The Journal of membrane biology. 2005; 203(3):143-50.