Regulation of Ion Channels

Research in our laboratory focuses on the regulation of ion channels in neurons by peptides and classical neurotransmitters and the molecular characterization of the intracellular signal transduction mechanisms involved. Patch clamp techniques are used to study: 1) muscarinic cholinergic regulation of potassium currents in neurons in brain slices and 2) to characterize both acute and long-term regulation of calcium channels by opioids and other G-protein coupled transmitter systems in acutely dissociated rat central and peripheral neurons and in cell lines. A second focus involves electrophysiological and molecular characterization of the neurotrophic effects of exogenous nerve growth factor on central cholinergic neurons and examination of the potential role of NGF in promoting functional regeneration within the cholinergic projection system from basal forebrain to basolateral amygdala.