People
Back to Faculty Listing | Neuroscience Research Areas
Meisami, Esmail
Associate Professor, Molecular and Integrative Physiology
B.A., Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Research Areas
Brain development
My lab's research is focused on hormones and neurotrophins in development and plasticity of the brain and in its recovery from early damage and retardation; and neurobiology, design, and structure/function relationship in olfactory system during development, regeneration, and aging. We are interested in the involvement of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and its receptors, p75 (neurotrophin receptor) and p145 (trkA), in the actions of thyroid hormones on neuronal development, plasticity, and recovery from early brain damage. Olfactory sensory neurons are capable of replacement and de novo regeneration. We study the correlative changes of these regenerative events in the olfactory bulb in the context of plasticity of brain structures in the developing and adult animals and fidelity of regeneration. We also study the role of neurotrophins and low-voltage activated calcium channels in olfactory development and regeneration. The relationship between such structural elements as receptor neurons, glomeruli, and mitral and granule cells may be important determinants of olfactory sensitivity and discrimination; these parameters are explored in the context of species variation, postnatal development and aging.
Representative Publications
Meisami E. (Editor and Producer) A History of Nerve, Muscle and Synapse Physiology, originally authored by C. Ladd Prosser and Brian Curtis, Stipes Publishing Co., Expected Spring 2007.
Kapit W, Macey R, and Meisami E. Physiology Coloring Book, 2nd edition (2000), Spanish Translation, 2004; Portuguese Translation, 2005; Japanese Translation, 2006.
Meisami E, Brown CM and Emerle HF. 2007. Vision and Hearing in Humans: Aging, Disorders and Treatments. In: P.S. Timiras, Editor, Physiological Basis of Aging and Geriatrics, 4th edition, CRC Press (Taylor and Frances Publishers), Boca Raton, Florida (in press).
Pataramekin PP, and Meisami E. 2005. Cytochrome oxidase staining reveals functionally important activity bands in the olfactory epithelium of newborn rat. J. Neurocytology, 34:257-268.
Farahvar A, and Meisami E. 2007. Novel two-dimensional morphometric maps and quantitative analysis reveal marked growth and structural recovery of the rat hippocampal regions from early hypothyroid retardation. Experimental Neurology 204(2):541-555
Additional Information
Related Research (By Area):
Development
Sensory and Motor Systems
Contact information:
