Immunocytochemical and in situ techniques are used to examine the distribution of myosin heavy chain isoforms in skeletal muscle cells. Work is currently focused on the terminal tips of muscle cells, the region where new sarcomeres are added during longitudinal growth of muscle. The mechanism by which cells of all organisms respond to environmental and physiological stress is not known. In our laboratory, we examine the first steps along the stress gene induction pathway. Xenopus oocytes are used as a model system in which cellular parameters are experimentally manipulated.
Research focuses on the molecular genetic analysis of cell cycle control mechanisms.
Cells have complex mechanisms to control cell growth and division which biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology have recently begun to unravel. It is clear that cell cycle progression depends on specific regulatory molecules. Calcium has long been recognized as an important component of cell cycle control. Like other second messengers, calcium relies on a protein intermediate to propagate signals. Through calmodulin, the ubiquitous calcium receptor protein, a diverse array of cellular processes ranging from glycogen and cyclic nucleotide metabolism to cell proliferation are regulated.