Eric Bennett, Ph.D.
Biographical Sketch | Interests | Current Research | Major Publications
Ph.D. University of Rochester
Office: MDC 3031
E-Mail: esbennet@hsc.usf.edu
Phone: (813) 974-1545
FAX: (813) 974-3079
Biographical Sketch
Interests
Voltage-gated sodium channels
Neurotransmitter transporters
Dopamine transporter
Serotonin transporter
N-glycosylation
Current Research
The Bennett lab is interested in the role of ion channels in the cardiac action potential and in contraction of the heart. Specifically, our efforts have concentrated on the regulation/modulation of cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel gating. If channel gating is altered, the cardiac action potential, and potentially the contractility of the heart, will be impacted directly. Current efforts have led to two distinct areas of interest that indicate rather novel mechanisms by which sodium channel gating is modulated: 1) The role of differential glycosylation throughout the development and aging (diseased states) of the heart, and 2) Modulation of the voltage-dependence of channel gating controlled by channel cytoplasmic domains. In addition to continuing these efforts, we plan to extend our findings to question whether similar mechanisms control the gating of other ion channels involved in heart function (e.g., K+ and Ca++ channels).
Techniques/Methods: Whole cell and patch clamp recording techniques; immunoblot analysis; development of mammalian expression systems; chimera construction; site-directed mutagenesis; kinetic modeling
Major Publications
E.S. Bennett. Channel cytoplasmic loops alter voltage dependent sodium channel activation in an isoform specific manner. J. Physiol. 535.2, 371-381, 2001. PubMed File
E.S. Bennett. Isoform-specific effects of sialic acid on voltage-dependent Na+ channel gating: Functional sialic acids are localized to the S5-S6 loop of domain I. J. Physiol., 538.3, 675-690, 2002. PubMed File
E. S. Bennett. Effects of channel cytoplasmic regions on the activation mechanisms of cardiac versus skeletal muscle Na+ channels. Biophys. J. 77(6), 2999-3009, 1999. PubMed File
E. Bennett, M.S. Urcan, S.S. Tinkle, A.G. Koszowski, and S.R. Levinson. Contribution of sialic acid to the voltage dependence of sodium channel gating: A possible electostatic mechanism. J. Gen. Physiol. 109(3), 327-343, 1997. PubMed File
E. Bennett, and G.A. Kimmich. Kinetic model of the Na+/glucose cotransporter. Evidence for several potential dependent steps along the transport cycle. Biophys. J., 70(4):1676-1688, 1996. PubMed File
B. Rehberg, E. Bennett, S.R. Levinson, and D.S. Duch. Voltage-and frequency-dependent suppression of brain- and muscle-type sodium channels by pentobarbital. Molec. Pharm. 48(1):89-97, 1995. PubMed File
E. Bennett and G.A. Kimmich. Na+ binding to the Na+/glucose cotransporter is potential dependent. Am. J. Physiol. 262(Cell Physiol. 31):C510-C516, 1992. PubMed File