Profesor Titular del CNV y del Departamento de Neurociencia

Contact information:

E-mail: ramon.latorre at uv.cl 

Phone: (56)-(32)-2508040

Fax: (56)-(32)-2508027

Address: Centro de Neurociencias de Valparaíso. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaiso. Pasaje Harrington 287, Playa Ancha. Valparaíso. Chile.

Research Statement:

My research is focused on ion channels, membrane proteins which are capable of sensing external stimuli and tranducing them into the language of the nervous system. My laboratory is especially interested in a group of thermosensitive ion channels which belongs to the superfamily of transient-receptor-potential (TRP) channels. Thermo TRPs, located in the free nerve endings of sensory neurons in the skin, are able to sense ambient temperature with exquisite precision.

Selected Publications:

• Latorre R. (2009) Perspectives on TRP Channel Structure and the TRPA1 Puzzle. J Gen Physiol. Mar;133(3):227-9 
• Carvacho, I., Gonzalez, W., Torres, Y., Brauchi, S., Alvarez, O., Gonzalez-Nilo, F.D., and  Latorre  R. 2008.  Intrinsic Electrostatic Potential in the BK Channel Pore: Role in Determining Single Channel Conductance and Block.  Journal of General Physiology. 31:147-162
• Brauchi S., Orta G., Mascayano C., Salazar M., Raddatz N., Urbina H.,Rosenman E., Gonzalez-Nilo F., Latorre R. 2007. Dissection of the components for PIP2 activation and thermosensation in trp channels. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 104:10246-10251.
• Latorre, R., Brauchi, S., Orta, G., Zaelzer, C., Vargas, G.  2007. ThermoTRP Channels as Modular Proteins with Allosteric Gating. Cell Calcium 42:427-438.
• Morera, F., Vargas, G., and Latorre, R.  2007. Ion Channel Reconstitution. In: Protocols in Biophysics to Study membrane Lipids. Dopico, A. Ed. Humana Press, NJ. 400:571-85
• Orio, P., Torres Y., Rojas, P., Carvacho, I., Garcia, ML., Toro, L., Valverde, M. And Latorre, R. 2006. Structural determinants for functional coupling between the beta and alpha subunits in the Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel. J. Gen. Physiol. 127:191-204.
• Torres Y., Morera, FJ., Carvacho, I., and Latorre, R. 2007.  A marriage of convenience:  beta-subunits of voltage-dependent channels.  J. Biol. Chem. 282:24495-24489. Review