RESEARCH INTERESTS - KAMATCHI and LYNCH
Efforts in our laboratory are directed towards determining how anesthetic agents interfere with the coupling of excitation or stimulation to subsequent cell processes such as contraction or secretion. Such studies inevitably provide additional insights into the cellular processes which are responsible for these various cell behaviors. We have previously examined how anesthetics alter calcium uptake and release by the sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from cardiac tissue, examining the activity of the Ca-ATPase (Ca pump) activity and calcium release channels (ryanodine receptors). Ongoing work has been directed toward determining how the volatile anesthetics alter calcium channel currents in cells (ventricular myocytes) from the heart or nervous system (cerebellar or granule cells), as well as Xenopus oocytes expressing a variety of cloned voltage gated calcium channels.
We are examining effects of anesthetics on calcium mediated release of glutamate from synaptosomes and cultured granule cells. We are also exploring anesthetic effects on a variety of potassium channels which influence cell excitability and calcium entry. Additionally, we are examining how receptor mediated pathways may control ion channels, and subsequent anesthetic actions. Techniques and preparations used in the laboratory involve: patch clamping of isolated cells (single channel and whole cell); intracellular calcium measurements employing fura-2, both in cell suspensions as well as in isolated cells; and measurement of release of neurotransmitters employing enzyme coupled assays.
Investigations have been funded by the NIH. Post-doctoral or Research Associate positions are available for inviduals who are interested in investigation into anesthetic mechanisms and modulation of ion channels behavior in neuronal and muscle cells.
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