Metabolic Regulation Laboratory

Research Interests

   The Metabolic Regulation Laboratory is a combination of three labs whose overall research interests are to determine the factors that regulate carbohydrate, lipid metabolism, and protein in liver and skeletal muscle.

Lipid Metabolism:

• To determine the intramuscular and hormonal factors that regulate the utilization of fatty acids by skeletal muscle.
• To determine the mechanisms by which long-chain fatty acids traverse the plasma membrane of muscle cells.
• To determine the level of impairment in the regulation of fatty acid metabolism in muscle cell in the presence of obesity and insulin resistance.

Carbohydrate Metabolism:

• To determine the impact of chronic physical activity upon hepatic glucose and glycogen metabolism.
• To elucidate the mechanism by which portal vein glucosensors detect changes in blood glucose concentration and mediate the appropriate metabolic responses.

Protein Metabolism:

Personnel

• Laboratory Directors: Casey M. Donovan, Ph.D. and Lorraine P. Turcotte, Ph.D.
• Post Doctoral Fellows:  Satoshi Fujita
• Graduate Student Research Assistants:  Alex Matveyenko, Mark Todd,  Maziyar Saberi
• Graduate Student Teaching Assistants:  Vera Schaub, Karen Kelly, Marcella Raney
• Undergraduate Student Assistants: Karli Edholm

Resources

The Metabolic Regulation Lab is located in Stauffer Hall of Sciences, rooms 166, 168, 169, 170 and in the Physical Education Building, room B13.

• Experimental models used in the lab include: Hindlimb perfusion system, in situ liver perfusion, isolated cells incubation, cell culture, in site muscle incubation, and whole body turnover studies.

• Analytical techniques used in the lab include: Measurement of enzyme activity and metabolite levels by spectrophotometry, fluorometry and radio-immunoassay; hormone assays via radio-immunoassay and radioenzymatic assay; separation of membrane fractions using ultracentrifugation; isolation and separation of metabolites using ion exchange and thin layer chromatography; quantification of protein levels using gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting; measurement of metabolite turnover using tracer methodology.

• Equipment: Packard liquid scintillation counter, Packard gamma counter, Beckman ultracentrifuge, Jouan high speed centrifuge, general preparative centrifuges, microfuges, Hitachi UV/Vis spectrophotometers, fluorometer, perfusion chambers, ultra low freezers, cryostorage units, Radiometer Acid-Base Laboratory, and multiple YSI glucose and lactate analyzers.

Current Research Projects

Lipid Metabolism

• Regulation of fatty acid metabolism in muscle. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which carbohydrates interact with fatty acids in oxidative metabolism.
• Effects of aging on fatty acid metabolism in muscle. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which oxidative metabolism is modified during aging.
• Regulation of fatty acid uptake in muscle. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which fatty acids traverse the plasma membrane of muscle cells.

Carbohydrate Metabolism

• The impact of endurance training upon the sensitivity and responsiveness of glucagon stimulated hepatic gluconeogenesis.
• Elucidation of the portal vein glucosensor in normal and pathophysiological states.

Funding

Lipid Metabolism

• 1998-2003, NIH AR45168, "Exercise and skeletal muscle fatty acid metabolism"
• 2001-2002, ACSM, "Effects of insulin and glycolytic flux on muscle metabolism"
• 2001-2002, ACSM, "Effects of training on lipid transport mechanisms in muscle"
• 2000-2002, Women in Science and Engineering Supplemental Research grant, "FA metabolism and ultracellular signaling in cultured muscle cells"
• 2000-2001, ACSM, "Effects of thiazolidinediones on substrate utilization in muscle"

Carbohydrate Metabolism (current funding)

• 1996-1999, NIH DK48000, "Exercise Adapations in Hepatic Gluconeogenesis"
• 1998-2001, NIH DK55257, "Portal Glucosensors in Hypoglycemic Detection"