Physiology faculty share findings in top fournals
Faculty members from the Department of Physiology have amassed impressive credentials in recent months, including article placements in major journals.
Dr. James Stockandís article about an activity of renal cells involved in maintaining blood pressure is the lead scholarly paper in the August issue of News in Physiological Sciences. Dr. Stockand and his co-authors, Dr. John Johnson, physiology, and Drs. Robert Edinger and Douglas Eaton, wrote "Toward Understanding the Role of Methylation in Aldosterone-Sensitive Na+ Transport."
"Proper endocrine regulation of Na+ reabsorption by renal principal cells is the primary means in mammals for maintaining blood pressure," the authors wrote. One of the groupís scientific diagrams is displayed on the cover of the journal.
A study by Drs. H. Llewelyn Roderick, physiology; James Lechleiter, cellular and structural biology; and Patricia Camacho, physiology, is featured in the June 12 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology. The article is titled "Cytosolic Phosphorylation of Calnexin Controls Intracellular Ca2+ Oscillations via an Interaction with SERCA2b."
Dr. Camacho is the corresponding author. The paper, which concerns the regulation of calcium signaling in the cell, is mentioned in the journalís "In Brief" section, indicating that the research is at the forefront in this field. Dr. Camachoís research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Studies by Dr. Gary Green and his colleagues were singled out in the Fiscal Year 1999 Progress Report distributed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Boardís Advanced Research and Advanced Technology programs. His research team discovered a peptide that regulates secretion of a gastrointestinal hormone, CCK, a key regulator of gallbladder contraction, insulin secretion and appetite. This finding could lead to future advances in control of appetite, gallbladder disease, insulin secretion and hyperglycemia.
The project originally was selected for inclusion in the Coordinating Boardís 1995 Advanced Technology Program. The NIH and the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation also supported the studies.
Oralia Garcia, student associate II in physiology and a member of Dr. Greenís laboratory staff, received an NIH Travel Award/Sponsorship and attended a minority faculty-student traineeship in biotechnology Sept. 1-8 at the NIH. The sponsor was the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Garcia also is studying for a Ph.D. at The University of the Incarnate Word.