CBS
Emeritus
Office: B19A AHABS |  |
 - BS 1968 and MS 1971, Zoology, University Stockholm, Sweden.
- Medicine Kandidat 1976, Human Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
- PhD 1980, Veterinary Science/Human Pathology, UW-Madison.
 - Pulmonary cell biology with emphasis on the endocrine lung.
- Pulmonary histopathology, toxicology and hypertension.
- Neurogenic inflammation of urinary bladder and prostate.
- Neurochemical plasticity of the carotid body during ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia.
Pulmonary Hypertension - The Endocrine Lung
The laboratory's primary research emphasis is in the roles and interactions of pulmonary neuropeptides in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH). Studies are aimed at the further understanding of persistent PH of the newborn and other pediatric PH diseases which currently have high mortality, and the development of a cure. PH, experimentally produced in rats by exposure to hypobaric hypoxia, is exacerbated or ameliorated by selected peptides and their antibodies and blockers when chronically infused into the pulmonary circulation. Peptide changes are examined by radioimmunoassay quantitation in lung tissue and blood, by quantitation of peptide specific mRNA using molecular biology techniques, and by assessing changes in receptor binding of certain peptides.
Pulmonary Cell Biology and Toxicology
Studies on protective lung cell biology include selective localization and function of the cytochrome P450 enzyme system and certain phospholipid-binding proteins, representing the lung's ability to detoxify xenobiotics (cyt. P450) and combat neonate airway disease respectively.
Neurochemical Plasticity in the Carotid body
This study uses immunohistochemical and molecular biology methods to examine qualitative and quantitative changes in the dopaminergic, serotonergic, and peptidergic systems of the carotid body and associates neuronal elements during hypoxic exposure. Changes are correlated with physiological changes and conductivity in the carotid sinud nerve during ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia.
Non-Infectious Inflammation
Collaborative research on urinary bladder function and prostate in animals and humans includes immunohistochemistry, histopathology and morphometry, and focuses on functional interaction between sensory nerves and mast cells in non-infectious inflammation.  Keith IM, Pelto-Huikko M, Schalling M, Hokfelt T. Calcitonin gene-related peptide and its mRNA in pulmonary neuroendocrine cells and ganglia. Histochemistry 96:311-315, 1991.
Tjen-A-Looi S, Ekman RE, Cary J, Lippton H, Keith IM. CGRP and Somatostatin modulate chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Am J Physiol. 263(Heart Circ Physiol 32):H681-H690, 1992.
Neely C, Keith IM. A1 adenosine receptors block ischemia-reperfusion injury of the lung. Am J Physiol 268(Lung Cell Mol Physiol 12):L1036-L1046, 1995.
Keith IM, Jin J, Saban R. Nerve-mast cell interaction in guinea pig urinary bladder. J Urology. J Comp Neurol 363:28-36, 1995.
Tjen-A-Looi S, Ekman R, Osborn, Keith I. Pulmonary vascular pressure effects by endothelin-1 in normoxia and chronic hypoxia, a longitudinal study. Am J Physiol. 271(Heart Circ Physiol 40):H2246-H2253, 1996.
Tjen-A-Looi S, Ekman R, Kraiczi H, Keith IM. Sensory CGRP depletion exacerbates hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. Regul Pept. In Press
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