Physiology
The Department of Physiology at the University of Otago is the largest Department of Physiology in New Zealand. Established in 1905, the Otago Department of Physiology celebrated its 100th anniversary mid-2005. Over the years we have made major contributions to undergraduate science, physical education, medical, dental, pharmacy and physiotherapy education and we are one of the larger departments in the University. We have contributed markedly to biomedical research both nationally and internationally and have trained many postgraduates, a number of whom have attained high international reputation for their research.
Recent Deposits
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Dissecting the ontogeny and functional relevance of altered GABAergic circuitry in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of female infertility worldwide, yet this prevalent endocrine disorder remains poorly understood. Although classically considered an ovarian disease, altered brain ... -
Retromer associated sorting nexins SNX1, SNX4, and SNX27 and the trafficking and basolateral membrane population of the intermediate conductance calcium activated potassium channel (KCa3.1) in polarised epithelial cells
The intermediate conductance calcium (Ca 2+)-activated potassium (K+) channel (KCa3.1) is targeted to the basolateral membrane of polarised epithelial cells, and is also found in many nonepithelial cell types. KCa3.1 ... -
A novel central pathway for sympathetic activation in the early stages following an acute myocardial infarction
Acute myocardial infarction (MI) initiates an adverse and sustained increase in cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), which begins as early as 30 min after the infarct, provoking arrhythmias and is a leading factor for ... -
PKCε Phosphorylation of RyR2: A Novel Link between Diabetes and Arrhythmia.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the world. Arrhythmia is a type of CVD which can be caused by store overload induced calcium (Ca2+) release (SOICR) in cardiomyocytes. SOICR occurs ... -
Identification of Transporters Involved in Drug-drug Interactions During Gout Treatment in Primary Rat Hepatocytes
Gout is one of the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, with hyperuricemia as the major risk factor. Chronic hyperuricemia, or high level of serum uric acid (SUA), can lead to the formation of monosodium urate ... -
The effect of the trafficking protein p11 on the epithelial sodium channel
Regulation of renal sodium (Na+) excretion is crucial for the maintenance of extracellular salt and volume homeostasis and thus for blood pressure control. The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is composed of three subunits; ... -
Exploring the Different CaMKII Isoforms in the Vasculature
Coronary artery disease continues to be the leading cause of mortality in the world and a major source of disability, particularly for the aged population. The presence of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis is a ... -
Ageing Astrocytes - Implications for Motoneuron Dysfunction and Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia: The most conspicuous intractable feature of advancing age is the gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass and the resultant loss of strength and mobility, and this is a major driver of morbidity and mortality in ... -
Functional Characterisation of Direct Neural Inputs to Arcuate Nucleus Kisspeptin Neurons in the Mouse
The pulsatile pattern of gonadotropin release is critical for puberty and fertility. Kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARN) are thought to play an important role in generating pulsatile gonadotropin secretion. ... -
Mechanisms of the contribution of vasopressin to the development of hypertension
Plasma vasopressin levels are paradoxically elevated in some hypertensive patients. Vasopressin is secreted from the posterior pituitary gland by magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs) located in the paraventricular ... -
Identifying the best source of autologous progenitors for cardiac regeneration
Preliminary efficacy data indicates that stem cell transplantation has the potential to enhance myocardial perfusion and/or contractile performance in patients with ischemic heart disease. A significant challenge in ... -
The role of calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase II in type 2 diabetic heart dysfunction
Type 2 diabetes is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, with the landmark Framingham study in the 1970’s reporting the incidence of heart failure is significantly higher in diabetic (DM) patients ... -
A protective role for exercise in the age-related loss of muscle mass
Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function is an impending health issue for the vast majority of people as they reach their sixties and this decline progressively reduces life quality for the affected ... -
COMMD10 Regulates Protein Trafficking
The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a heterotrimeric, amiloride-sensitive Na+ channel located at the plasma membrane of various tissues, including kidneys and the vasculature. ENaC abundance and activity at the plasma ... -
Characterising the effect of shear force on the activity of the epithelial sodium and acid sensing ion channels
Mechanosensation is the ubiquitous ability of cells to sense and respond to their mechanical environment and has been linked to the activation of ion channels. Members of the DEG/ENaC ion channel protein family including ... -
A Role for Calcium Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II in the Early Development of Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular death in the developed world. Endothelial dysfunction is an early event in the development of atherosclerosis and is characterised by increased reactive oxygen species ... -
Human Colonic Organoids: An Epithelial Barrier Model of Crohn's Disease
It’s unknown if the increased intestinal permeability in patients with Crohn’s Disease (CD) is a cause or consequence of inflammation. In vivo, interactions between the microbiota, epithelium and immune system prevent ... -
Bidirectional Control of Synaptic Transmission by Endocannabinoids from Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons
The stress response is a physiological process which allows an organism to rapidly change its function in order to cope with a changing environment and maintain internal balance. The neuroendocrine stress response is ... -
The role of the microtubule cytoskeleton and Myosin-Vc in the anterograde trafficking of KCa3.1 to the basolateral membrane of polarised epithelial cells.
The intermediate conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channel (KCa3.1) is targeted to the basolateral membrane in polarised epithelia where it plays an essential role in promoting trans-epithelial ion transport. KCa3.1 is expressed ... -
The proportion of fast and slow neuromuscular junctions in young and old mice
Human skeletal mass and strength increase from birth until ~35 years of age, thereafter a decline in mass and strength occurs in a process called sarcopenia. Beyond 60 years of age muscular weakness falls to a point where ...