Research
Interests
In
the autonomic nervous system the final neurons that innervate end organs
are grouped in autonomic ganglia. Ganglionic neurons are sites of integration
of efferent and sensory synaptic signals into a coordinated regulation
of multiple end organs whose function is often diverse. My research interests
are in the properties of sympathetic ganglia and the relationship of the
characteristics of individual neurons to the regulation of the cardiovascular
and gastrointestinal systems. To understand how the sympathetic ganglia
regulate and coordinate vascular and gastrointestinal function we are
asking the following questions:
- What is the
anatomical organization of the sympathetic ganglia innervating the
gastrointestinal tract and its blood supply?
- Do individual
neurons innervate multiple targets or just one type of tissue?
- Do individual
neurons innervate both arteries and veins?
- Does a neuron
that innervates an artery have properties that differentiate it from
a neuron that innervates a vein?
- What are the
membrane electrical properties of neurons that might distinguish one
functional type from another?
- What transmitters
are released from "artery neurons" or "vein neurons"?
- What are the
events in neuromuscular transmission in arteries and veins?
- What are the
developmental cues that neurotrophic factors from artery or vein provide
to determine the functional properties of sympathetic neurons?
Please
feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my research.
Selected
Publications
Click Here to see all Publications by Dr. Kreulen
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David
L. Kreulen 