How does bioelectricity influence brain development ?Ion channels, exchangers and transporters permit charged molecules to move across the cell membrane. They are responsible for setting up membrane potentials (Vm) and driving forces (bioelectricity) that allow "excitable tissues" like neurons to fire and muscles to contract.
More recently, it's become apparent that ion channels, exchangers and transporters also play essential roles in what have long been considered "non-excitable" tissues like stem cells. Our lab seeks to define the function of ion channels in brain development and brain tumors using Drosophila melanogaster. |
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PUBLICATIONS
[1] Elias A.F., Lin B.C., Piggott B.J. Ion Channels in Gliomas—From Molecular Basis to Treatment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (in Press) 2023
[2] Piggott B.J., Peters, C.J., He, Y., Huang, X., Younger, S., Jan, L.Y., Jan Y.N. Paralytic, the Drosophila voltage-gated sodium channel, regulates proliferation of neural progenitors. Genes & Development 2019 Nov 21. doi: 10.1101/gad.330597.119.
[3] To T.L., Piggott B.J., Makhijani K., Yu D., Jan YN., Shu X. Rationally designed fluorogenic protease reporter visualizes spatiotemporal dynamics of apoptosis in vivo. PNAS 112(11):3338-43. 2015
[4] Piggott, B.J.*, Liu, J.* Feng, Z.*, Wescott, S.A. and Xu, X.Z.S. The neural circuits and synaptic mechanisms underlying motor initiation in C. elegans. Cell. 147(4):922-33. 2011 *Co-first authors
[5] Li, W., Kang, L.J., Piggott, B.J., Feng, Z. and Xu, X.Z.S. Dissecting neural circuits for harsh touch behavior in C. elegans. Nat Commun. 2:315. 2011
[6] Feng, Z., Li, W., Ward, A., Piggott, B.J., Larkspur, E.R., Sternberg, P.W., and Xu, X.Z.S. A C. elegans Model of Nicotine-Dependent Behavior: Regulation by TRP-Family Channels. Cell 127(3): 621-633. 2006.
[2] Piggott B.J., Peters, C.J., He, Y., Huang, X., Younger, S., Jan, L.Y., Jan Y.N. Paralytic, the Drosophila voltage-gated sodium channel, regulates proliferation of neural progenitors. Genes & Development 2019 Nov 21. doi: 10.1101/gad.330597.119.
[3] To T.L., Piggott B.J., Makhijani K., Yu D., Jan YN., Shu X. Rationally designed fluorogenic protease reporter visualizes spatiotemporal dynamics of apoptosis in vivo. PNAS 112(11):3338-43. 2015
[4] Piggott, B.J.*, Liu, J.* Feng, Z.*, Wescott, S.A. and Xu, X.Z.S. The neural circuits and synaptic mechanisms underlying motor initiation in C. elegans. Cell. 147(4):922-33. 2011 *Co-first authors
[5] Li, W., Kang, L.J., Piggott, B.J., Feng, Z. and Xu, X.Z.S. Dissecting neural circuits for harsh touch behavior in C. elegans. Nat Commun. 2:315. 2011
[6] Feng, Z., Li, W., Ward, A., Piggott, B.J., Larkspur, E.R., Sternberg, P.W., and Xu, X.Z.S. A C. elegans Model of Nicotine-Dependent Behavior: Regulation by TRP-Family Channels. Cell 127(3): 621-633. 2006.