Janetta Arellano

Dr. Janetta Arellano is an Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, with a joint appointment in the Department of Neurology and Pediatrics. Her research focuses on astrocyte biology and ion homeostasis in neurological disorders, particularly epilepsy. Key aspects include studying aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels and their role in epileptogenesis, as well as investigating potassium dynamics and glial reactivity in seizure models.

Her work utilizes the intrahippocampal kainic acid model to explore mechanisms of water and ion dysregulation during seizures. Notable findings include increased seizure frequency in AQP4 knockout mice and persistent downregulation of astrocytic AQP4 in hippocampal layers post-status epilepticus. This suggests that restoring astrocytic water/ion homeostasis may offer novel therapeutic strategies for epilepsy.

Dr. Arellano's research has been supported by NIH grants (K08 NS059674) and Howard Hughes Medical Institute funding. Her publications emphasize glial molecule interactions (AQP4, K(ir)4.1, GFAP) and histologic outcomes in epilepsy models.