Another critical area of research in the laboratory is examining cellular signaling mechanisms that regulate membrane ion transport and cellular homeostasis in podocytes.  Specifically, Staruschenko’s laboratory focuses on the mechanisms involved in regulating TRPC channels by angiotensin II, ATP, and other signaling pathways.  He has successfully extended the analysis of TRPC channels to freshly isolated glomeruli.  With the help of several innovative techniques developed in his laboratory, he and other members of his laboratory have described several unique mechanisms responsible for excessive calcium flux in podocytes, which causes the development of glomerular diseases.  As an example, his recent study revealed that renal purinergic signaling undergoes significant remodeling during pathophysiological conditions such as diabetes.  This allowed us to conclude that the transition in purinergic receptor composition from metabotropic to ionotropic may disrupt intracellular calcium homeostasis in podocytes resulting in their dysfunction and potentially further aggravating DKD progression.

Representative publications:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36007181/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34142040/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36750145/