I am also interested in the role of signal transduction mediators such as calcium and protein kinase C in the regulation of intestinal mucosal integrity especially in the initiation and prevention of inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. . Finally, some of my research projects concern the ontogenic regulation of mucosal integrity in the neonate. This is based on findings that the mucosa of the newborn animal and human is more susceptible to injury than is the intestinal mucosa of mature weaned animals and newborn infants. This correlates clinically with the condition of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. My studies involve both in vivo studies in the anaesthetized animal as well as in vitro studies in freshly isolated and cultured cells to examine cellular integrity and the molecular factors that play a role in intestinal cellular injury.
C mediates experimental colitis in the rat.
Brown JF, Chafee, KA and Tepperman BL Role of mast cells, neutrophils and nitric oxide in endotoxin-induced damage in the neonatal rat colon.