Bechara Kachar, M.D.
Chief Section on Structural Cell Biology
Chief Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics
Building 50, Room 4249 50 South Drive Bethesda, MD 20892-8027 Phone: (301) 402-1600 Fax: (301) 402-1765 E-mail: kacharb@nidcd.nih.gov
Dr. Kachar received his M.D. degree from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1977. He did postdoctoral research on membrane structure and intercellular junctions with Pedro Pinto da Silva at the NCI and cell structure and motility with Thomas Reese at the NINDS. Dr. Kachar joined the NIDCD in 1986.
Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics
The Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics (LCSD) seeks an integrated molecular understanding of the architecture, dynamics, function, and renewal of specialized cellular structures - in particular those underlying mechanosensory function of auditory and vestibular sensory cells. The long-term goal of the program is to develop a framework for understanding the different forms of loss of mechanosensory function and to explore opportunities for preventive and therapeutic interventions.
Section on Structural Cell Biology
The Section on Structural Cell Biology (SSCB) explores fundamental molecular-structure-function relationships using cell biological and molecular biological approaches coupled with cutting-edge electron microscopy and emerging live cell imaging techniques. Principal areas of current and future focus in the SSCB are: (1) Molecular characterization of the key structural elements and dynamic processes that contribute to the sensory-motor function of auditory and vestibular sensory cells. (2) To study how membrane/cytoskeletal assemblies such as stereocilia, intercellular junctions, and synapses are formed, how they regulate their size and shape, and how they undergo self-renewal while maintaining steady state structure, dynamic properties, and function. (3) Localization and characterization of the function of protein products of genes implicated in environmental, age-related, and inherited hearing loss.
Personnel
Leonardo Rodrigues De Andrade, Visiting Fellow, 301-402-1600 (Send e-mail) Aurea Denise De Sousa, Ph.D., Research Fellow, 301-594-8297 (Send e-mail) Cole Graydon, Graduate Student, 301 402 1600 (Send e-mail) Uri Manor, Graduate Student, 301-402-5116 (Send e-mail) Raymond C Merritt, Graduate Student, 301-402-1600 (Send e-mail) Felipe Torquato Salles, DDS, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow, 301-402-1600 (Send e-mail) Takashi Sato, M.D., Ph.D., Visiting Fellow, 301-402-1600 (Send e-mail) M'hamed Grati, Eng. Ph.D., Research Fellow, 301-594-8296 (Send e-mail)
Selected Recent Publications
- Salles FT, Merritt RC Jr, Manor U, Dougherty GW, Sousa AD, Moore JE, Yengo CM, Dosé AC, Kachar B. Myosin IIIa boosts elongation of stereocilia by transporting espin 1 to the plus ends of actin filaments. Nat Cell Biol. 2009 Apr;11(4):443-50.
- Sousa AD, Andrade LR, Salles FT, Pillai AM, Buttermore ED, Bhat MA, Kachar B. The septate junction protein caspr is required for structural support and retention of KCNQ4 at calyceal synapses of vestibular hair cells. J Neurosci. 2009 Mar 11;29(10):3103-8.
- Schwander M, Xiong W, Tokita J, Lelli A, Elledge HM, Kazmierczak P, Sczaniecka A, Kolatkar A, Wiltshire T, Kuhn P, Holt JR, Kachar B, Tarantino L, Müller U. A mouse model for nonsyndromic deafness (DFNB12) links hearing loss to defects in tip links of mechanosensory hair cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Mar 31;106(13):5252-7.
- Manor U, Kachar B. Dynamic length regulation of sensory stereocilia. Semin. Cell Dev Biol. 2008
- Sakaguchi, H., Tokita, J., Naoz, M., Bowen-Pope, D., Gov, N. S. and Kachar, B. (2008). Dynamic compartmentalization of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor Q at the proximal end of stereocilia: implication of myosin VI-based transport. Cell Motil Cytoskeleton 65, 528-38.
- Kazmierczak, P., Sakaguchi, H., Tokita, J., Wilson-Kubalek, E. M., Milligan, R. A., Muller, U. and Kachar, B. (2007). Cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15 interact to form tip-link filaments in sensory hair cells. Nature 449, 87-91.
- Waguespack, J., Salles, F. T., Kachar, B. and Ricci, A. J. (2007). Stepwise morphological and functional maturation of mechanotransduction in rat outer hair cells. J Neurosci 27, 13890-902.
- Schneider, M. E., Dose, A. C., Salles, F. T., Chang, W., Erickson, F. L., Burnside, B. and Kachar, B. (2006). A new compartment at stereocilia tips defined by spatial and temporal patterns of myosin IIIa expression. J Neurosci 26, 10243-52.
- Grati, M., Schneider, M. E., Lipkow, K., Strehler, E. E., Wenthold, R. J. and Kachar, B. (2006). Rapid turnover of stereocilia membrane proteins: evidence from the trafficking and mobility of plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase 2. J Neurosci 26, 6386-95.
- Nunes, F. D., Lopez, L. N., Lin, H. W., Davies, C., Azevedo, R. B., Gow, A. and Kachar, B. (2006). Distinct subdomain organization and molecular composition of a tight junction with adherens junction features. J Cell Sci 119, 4819-27.
- Silva, H. S., Martins, M. L., Vilela, M. J., Jaeger, R. and Kachar, B. (2006). 1/f ruffle oscillations in plasma membranes of amphibian epithelial cells under normal and inverted gravitational orientations. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 74, 041903
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