Electric studies of excitation, secretion & contraction

松果体是一种内分泌器官，是我们大脑生物钟系统的一部分。 整个晚上，交感神经系统局部释放的去甲肾上腺素 刺激松果体向全身散发夜间荷尔蒙，褪黑激素。我们将研究 离体松果体细胞对外加磁场的早期第二信使信号 去甲肾上腺素，在长期暴露期间肾上腺素能受体的长期可用性 去甲肾上腺素，和，在松果体片和整个松果体，调节作用， 经典的神经递质对松果体细胞活性的影响。我们将确定G蛋白偶联， 褪黑激素受体在各种表达系统中表达。最后我们将测试 假设N-乙酰血清素是另一种夜间激素的候选者， 褪黑素将细胞从大鼠松果体中分离，置于细胞培养物中，用 去甲肾上腺素来模拟夜晚，并在显微镜下进行了研究， 全细胞千兆电生理记录，钙敏感染料的活细胞光度法 和第二信使的指示剂，以及三个的HPLC-质谱 吲哚胺激素整个松果体的溶剂提取物将通过HPLC-mass进行分析 磷脂酰肌醇和其他磷脂的膜的光谱。在- 站在节奏分泌机制的松果体将作出重要贡献 治疗睡眠障碍，对短日照的季节性情感反应， 注意力和生产力由于时差和轮班工作。

The pineal gland is an endocrine organ that is part of our circadian clock system in the brain. Throughout the night, noradrenaline released locally by the sympathetic nervous system stimulates the pineal to broadcast the night hormone, melatonin, to all of the body. We will study the early second-messenger signaling within isolated pinealocytes in response to applied norepinephrine, the longer term availability of adrenergic receptors during prolonged exposure to norepinephrine, and, in pineal slices and whole pineal glands, the modulatory actions of classical neurotransmitters on pinealocyte activity. We will determine the G-protein coupling of melatonin receptors expressed in various expression systems. Finally we will test the hypothesis that N-acetyl serotonin is a candidate for another night hormone in addition to melatonin. Cells will be dissociated from rat pineal glands, placed in cell culture, treated with norepinephrine to mimic night, and studied under the microscope with techniques such as whole-cell gigaseal electrophysiological recording, live-cell photometry of calcium-sensitive dyes and of indicators for second messengers, and HPLC-mass spectroscopy of the three indoleamine hormones. Solvent extracts of whole pineal glands will be analyzed by HPLC-mass spectroscopy for the phosphoinositides and other phospholipids of their membranes. Under- standing the rhythmic secretory mechanisms of the pineal will make an important contribution towards treating sleep disorders, seasonal affective responses to short days, and loss of attention and productivity due to jet lag and shift work.