Physiology

FRANCISCO H. ANDRADE, Ph.D. Associate Professor Ph.D. University of Texas Health Science Center, 1994 Office: MS-581 Medical Center 0298 Tel: (859) 323-6576 Lab: MS-539, MS-517, Tel: 323-3861, 323-8759 E-mail: paco.andrade@uky.edu Curriculum Vita (pdf)

Skeletal muscles show wide phenotypic variability and life-long plasticity; they adapt rapidly to shifts in use patterns. We know that stimuli such as endurance and strength training activate cellular pathways that induce stereotypical changes in skeletal muscles. However, there are baffling differences in the functional characteristics and adaptive responses of particular muscles and motor systems. These differences may explain the disparate appearance and progression of neuromuscular diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), mitochondrial myopathies, myasthenia gravis, and some muscular dystrophies. To explore these issues, we study the extraocular and laryngeal muscles, two muscle groups that are constantly active and have peculiar phenotypes. We think that by learning what makes these muscles unique, we will understand why they are spared by some neuromuscular diseases and targeted by others. These insights will lead in turn to better treatment options for these diseases. Using multiple experimental models, we study how muscles change their gene expression and function in response to activity, stressors, and age. More recently, we began to explore how the metabolic and functional profiles of specific motor systems are contingent on the bidirectional communication between skeletal muscles and their motor neurons. This crosstalk between muscles and nerves may influence the differential susceptibility to neuromuscular disease. The diversity of issues tackled by our projects requires a variety of methodological approaches, ranging from classical physiology and biochemistry to molecular biology.

Recent publications:

Andrade, F.H., Hatala, D.A., McMullen, C.A. Carbonic anhydrase isoform expression and functional role in rodent extraocular muscle. Pflügers Arch. 448:547-551, 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00424-004-1284-3

McMullen, C.A., Andrade, F.H., Stahl, J.S. Functional and genomic changes in the mouse ocular motor system in response to light deprivation from birth. J. Neurosci., 24:161-169, 2004.
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=full&pmid=14715949

Andrade, F.H., Merrian, A.P., Guo, W., Cheng, G., McMullen, C.A., Hayeß, K., van der Ven, P.F.M., Porter, J.D. Paradoxical absence of M lines and creatine kinase in mouse extraocular muscle. J. Appl. Physiol., 205:692-699, 2003.
http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=full&pmid=12716871

Other Publications