School of Biomedical Sciences

Physiology & Anatomy Seminar Series: Ion channels, myogenic responses, and coronary vascular regulation

Speaker: Gregory Dick, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, Department of Physiology & Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center

“Ion channels, myogenic responses, and coronary vascular regulation”

Coronary arterioles demonstrate myogenic reactivity, as caliber is actively adjusted in response to the intraluminal distending pressure. The teleological purpose of myogenic reactivity remains unclear, but it has been proposed that it acts to mitigate pressureinduced changes in circumferential wall stress. Whether this is true for the coronary circulation is unknown. I will discuss a modeling study testing the hypothesis that myogenic contractions keep wall stress relatively constant over a wide range of pressures. Contraction of coronary smooth muscle is influenced by ion channels controlling membrane potential and calcium influx. We are investigating ion channels whose opening would depolarize membrane potential, increase calcium, and promote contraction. A candidate for study is TMEM16A, a calcium-activated chloride channel expressed in a variety of smooth muscles. I will discuss an ex vivo study designed to test hypothesis that drugs which influence TMEM16A alter coronary contraction.

Meeting link:
https://unthsc.zoom.us/j/88431778746?pwd=bFhiZzhDVE5jbEVhU2lvcUh4M3RYUT09

Tags:

Date

Apr 09 2021
Expired!

Time

11:00 am - 12:00 pm