Presidential Young Investigator

小行星9505736 这个建议是由一位年轻的研究者提出的，他的专业知识非常广泛，跨越了生物组织的几个层次。 PI的基本兴趣是肌肉的生物学，更具体地说，肌肉细胞内的膜系统如何控制肌肉的收缩/舒张周期。在普通横纹肌中，即，那些收缩产生运动的细胞，这些细胞膜充当钙离子的储存库。钙离子在这些肌细胞的膜系统中的释放/螯合调节它们的收缩。PI正在检查这些钙机制与神经产生的冲动的耦合，神经产生的冲动启动收缩事件。 为了做到这一点，她使用了一种在深潜鱼类（如马林）眼肌中发现的独特肌肉细胞，即一种不收缩而是产生热量的肌肉细胞。 这种“加热器组织”用于在血液进入鱼的大脑的过程中加热血液，从而即使鱼在深而冷的水中潜水也能保持大脑的温度。 PI目前正在研究这个加热器器官底部的复杂逆流热交换系统，使用生物化学和形态学方法来研究这些细胞如何调节钙的运动，从而产生热量。使用独特的非收缩肌肉系统，PI还将解决所有收缩生理学家感兴趣的问题。

9505736 Block This proposal by a young investigator of unusual breadth of expertise spans several levels of biological organization. The basic interest of the PI is in the biology of muscle and, more particularly , how the membrane system within the muscle cells controls the contraction/relaxation cycle of muscles. In ordinary striated muscle, i.e., those that contract to produce movement, these membranes serve as storage depots for calcium ions. The release/sequestration of calcium ions in the membranous system of such muscle cells regulates their contraction. The PI is examining the coupling of these calcium mechanisms to the impulse generated by nerves which initiates the contractile event. To do so she employs a unique muscle cell found in the eye muscles of deep-diving fish such as the marlin, that is, a muscle cell that does not contract but rather produces heat. This "heater tissue" is used to warm blood on its way to the fish's brain, thus keeping the brain warm even while the fish dives in deep and cold water. The PI is currently studying the elaborate counter-current heat exchange system at the base of this heater organ, using biochemical and morphological methodologies to study how these cells regulate the movement of calcium and thereby generate heat. Using a unique, non-contracting muscle system the PI will also be addressing questions of interest to all contractile physiologists.