Jonathan H. Jaggar, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Voice: 1-901-448-1208
Fax: 1-901-448-7126

Dental Neurophysiology Handouts

My Laboratory

Faculty image

Education

Coventry University, Coventry, UK, 1987-1991, B.Sc., Applied Physiology
University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, 1991-1995, Ph.D., Potassium Channels
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 1995-1997, Postdoc., Gastrointestinal Physiology
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 1997-1999, Postdoc., Vascular Physiology

Research Interest

The focus of the laboratory is to study mechanisms that regulate the diameter of small arteries and arterioles that modulate systemic blood pressure and organ blood flow.  Smooth muscle cells within the vascular wall determine arterial diameter.  Thus, our major focus is to investigate the functional significance of arterial smooth muscle cell plasma membrane and intracellular ion channels and local and global calcium signals in regulating arterial smooth muscle cell contractility.  Research in the laboratory involves a multi-faceted approach, studying events at molecular, cellular and intact artery levels.  Techniques include patch clamp electrophysiology, rapid confocal calcium imaging, conventional calcium imaging, diameter measurement of pressurized arteries, use of knockout models, and molecular biology.  Please click on My Laboratory for more detailed information.

Research Support

04/01/08 - 03/31/13, NIH R01 HL67061, Calcium Signaling in Cerebral Arteries. P.I.
04/01/05 - 03/28/09, NIH R01 HL77678, Mitochondrial Regulation of Calcium Signaling and Diameter in Cerebral Arteries. P.I.
04/01/07 - 03/31/12, NIH R01 HL034059, Control of Neonatal Circulation, Co-I.

Selected Publications

  1. Jaggar JH. Intravascular pressure regulates local and global calcium signaling in cerebral artery smooth muscle cells. Am J Physiol 2001; 281:C439-C448.
  2. Jaggar JH,  Leffler CW,  Cheranov SY,  Tcheranova D,  ES,  Cheng X. Carbon monoxide dilates cerebral arterioles by enhancing the coupling of Ca2+ sparks to Ca2+-activated K+ channels. Circ Res 2002; 91: 610-617.
  3. Cheranov SY, Jaggar JH. Sarcoplamic reticulum calcium load regulates rat arterial smooth muscle calcium sparks and transient KCa currents.  J Physiol 2002; 544:71-84.
  4. Cheranov SY, Jaggar JH. Mitochondrial modulation of Ca2+ sparks transient KCa currents in smooth muscle cells of rat cerebral arteries. J Physiol 2004; 556:  755-771.
  5. Liu P, Xi Q, Ahmed A, Jaggar JH, Dopico AM. Essential role for smooth muscle BK channels in alcohol-induced cerebrovascular constriction.  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2004; 101:18217-18222.
  6. Xi Q, Cheranov SY,  Jaggar JH. Mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species dilate cerebral arteries by activating Ca2+ sparks.  Circ Res 2005; 97:354-362.
  7. Jaggar JH, Li A, Parfenova H, Liu J., Umstot ES, Dopico AM, Leffler CW. Heme is a carbon monoxide receptor for large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels.  Circ Res 2005; 97: 805-812.
  8. Cheranov, SY and Jaggar, J H.  TNF-alpha dilates cerebral arteries via NAD(P)H oxidase-dependent Ca2+ spark activation.  Am J Physiol. 2006; 290:C964-C971.
  9. Cheng, X and Jaggar, JH. Genetic ablation of caveolin-1 modifies Ca2+ spark coupling in murine arterial smooth muscle cells.  Am J Physiol 2006; 290:H2393-H2401.
  10. Adebiyi, A, Zhao, G, Cheranov, SY, Ahmed, A, and Jaggar, JH.  Caveolin-1 abolishment attenuates the myogenic response in murine cerebral arteries.  Am J Physiol. 2007; 292(3): H1584-1592.
  11. Cheng, X, Liu, J, Asuncion-Chin, M, Blaskova, E, Bannister, JP, Dopico, AM and Jaggar JH.  A novel CaV1.2 N-terminus expressed in smooth muscle cells of resistance-size arteries modifies channel regulation by auxiliary subunits.  J Biol Chem. 2007; 282: 29211-29221.
  12. Li, A, Xi, Q, Umstot, ES, Bellner, L, Laniado-Schwartzman, M, Jaggar, JH, and Leffler, CW. Astrocyte-derived CO is a diffusible messenger that mediates glutamate-induced cerebral arteriolar dilation by activating smooth muscle cell KCa channels.  Circ Res. 2008;102(2):234-41.
  13. Xi, Q, Adebiyi, A, Zhao, G, Chapman, KE, Waters, CM, Hassid, A, and Jaggar, JH.  IP3 constricts cerebral arteries via IP3 receptor-mediated TRPC3 channel activation and independently of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release. Circ Res. 2008; 102(9): 1118-1126.
  14. Adebiyi, A., McNally, E.M., and Jaggar, J.H.  Sulphonylurea receptor-dependent and -independent pathways mediate vasodilation induced by KATP channel openers.  Mol. Pharmacol. (in press).

Last modified 7/15/08 9:46 AM