# overview
The main goal of our laboratory is to understand the molecular mechanisms of cardiac muscle dynamics in normal and diseased states. Particularly, our interests focus on the relationships between thin filament activation and crossbridge kinetics, and how the mechanotransduction signaling transmits to myofilament activation. We use multiple techniques, molecular, cellular, biochemistry, structural and biophysical, to obtain information on the fundamental regulatory mechanisms of cardiac muscle contraction.

Our lab group is also investigating the role of lymphatics in different tissue beds, including mesentery, skeletal muscle, and brain using various animal models.

# hrJobTitle
Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute

# keywords[]
Stem Cell Research - Nonembryonic - Non-human

# keywords[]
1.1 Normal Biological Development And Functioning

# keywords[]
Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein

# keywords[]
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

# keywords[]
Single-Strand Specific DNA And RNA Endonucleases

# keywords[]
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

# keywords[]
1.1 Normal Biological Development And Functioning

# keywords[]
1.1 Normal Biological Development And Functioning

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
University of Cincinnati - (Cincinnati, Ohio, United States)

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
Madurai Kamaraj University - (Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India)

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
Madurai Kamaraj University - (Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India)

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
Madurai Kamaraj University - (Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India)

# publications[].label
Changes associated with rat heart chromatin during cardiac hypertrophy.

# publications[].label
SUBSTANCE P REGULATES INFLAMMATORY PATHWAYS IN LYMPHATIC MUSCLE

# publications[].label
Age-related alterations of active pumping mechanisms in rat thoracic duct.

# publications[].label
Histamine effects on endothelial cell fibronectin interaction studied by atomic force microscopy.

# publications[].label
Atomic Force Microscopy Protocol for Measurement of Membrane Plasticity and Extracellular Interactions in Single Neurons in Epilepsy.

# publications[].label
Adenovirus-mediated gene transfection in the isolated lymphatic vessels.

# publications[].label
Inflammatory state of lymphatic vessels and miRNA profiles associated with relapse in ovarian cancer patients

# publications[].label
Altered hemodynamics in transgenic mice harboring mutant tropomyosin linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

# publications[].label
Atomic force microscopy investigations of fibronectin and 51-integrin signaling in neuroplasticity and seizure susceptibility in experimental epilepsy.

# publications[].label
PKC activation increases Ca sensitivity of permeabilized lymphatic muscle via myosin light chain 20 phosphorylation-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

# publications[].label
Src/FAK complex phosphorylates cardiac myosin binding protein c (cMyBP-C) in vitro and in vivo

# publications[].label
Charged residue alterations in the inner-core domain and carboxy-terminus of alpha-tropomyosin differentially affect mouse cardiac muscle contractility.

# publications[].label
Molecular regulation of lymphatic contractility.

# publications[].label
MicroRNA signature of inflamed lymphatic endothelium and role of miR-9 in lymphangiogenesis and inflammation.

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Impairments in the intrinsic contractility of mesenteric collecting lymphatics in a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

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Analysis of Lymphatic Vessel Formation by Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Staining.

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Measurements of the cross-bridge attachment/detachment process within intact sarcomeres by surface plasmon resonance.

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Developmental analysis of tropomyosin gene expression in embryonic stem cells and mouse embryos.

# publications[].label
PKA accelerates rate of force development in murine skinned myocardium expressing alpha- or beta-tropomyosin.

# publications[].label
Novel role for vinculin in ventricular myocyte mechanics and dysfunction.

# publications[].label
Arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-containing peptides inhibit the force production of mouse papillary muscle bundles via alpha 5 beta 1 integrin.

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Modulation of lymphatic muscle contractility by the neuropeptide substance P.

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Maximum shortening velocity of lymphatic muscle approaches that of striated muscle.

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Tropomyosin structure and function new insights.

# publications[].label
Lymphatic system: a vital link between metabolic syndrome and inflammation.

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TNF mediated regulation of myosin light chain 20 phosphorylation in lymphatic muscle

# publications[].label
Charge changes in striated a-TM protein affect cardiac function in transgenic mice

# publications[].label
Intrinsic increase in lymphangion muscle contractility in response to elevated afterload.

# publications[].label
Structure-function relationships of citrus limonoids on p38 MAP kinase activity in human aortic smooth muscle cells.

# publications[].label
Erratum Volume 281, Number 2 (1990), in the article "Purification and Characterization of a High-Molecular-Weight Protein Induced in Rat Serum during the Development of Cardiac Hypertrophy," by Muthuchany Mariappan, Nagarajan Selvamurugan and Chellam Rajamanickam, pages 287-297

# publications[].label
Roles of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase pump in the impairments of lymphatic contractile activity in a metabolic syndrome rat model

# publications[].label
Cardiomyocyte contractile status is associated with differences in fibronectin and integrin interactions.

# publications[].label
Cdc42 is required for lymphatic branching, maturation and valve formation during embryonic development

# publications[].label
Instability in the central region of tropomyosin modulates the function of its overlapping ends.

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IL-1 reduces tonic contraction of mesenteric lymphatic muscle cells, with the involvement of cycloxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2.

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Hyperglycemia- and hyperinsulinemia-induced insulin resistance causes alterations in cellular bioenergetics and activation of inflammatory signaling in lymphatic muscle.

# publications[].label
Intracellular calcium dynamics of lymphatic endothelial and muscle cells co-cultured in a Lymphangion-Chip under pulsatile flow.

# publications[].label
Abstract 15945: Cdc42 is Required for Lymphatic Branching, Maturation and Valve Formation During Development

# publications[].label
Hypoxia and extracellular matrix proteins influence angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in mouse embryoid bodies.

# publications[].label
Inhibition of myosin light chain phosphorylation decreases rat mesenteric lymphatic contractile activity.

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Lymphatic Collecting Vessel: New Perspectives on Mechanisms of Contractile Regulation and Potential Lymphatic Contractile Pathways to Target in Obesity and Metabolic Diseases.

# publications[].label
Induction of endogenous myosin light chain 1 and cardiac alpha-actin expression in L6E9 cells by MyoD1.

# publications[].label
Molecular and physiological effects of alpha-tropomyosin ablation in the mouse.

# publications[].label
Using surface plasmon resonance to monitor acto-myosin attachment/detachment within intact sarcomeres

# publications[].label
Substance P activates both contractile and inflammatory pathways in lymphatics through the neurokinin receptors NK1R and NK3R.

# publications[].label
Dichotomous effects of in vivo and in vitro ionizing radiation exposure on lymphatic function.

# publications[].label
Lymphangion-chip: a microphysiological system which supports co-culture and bidirectional signaling of lymphatic endothelial and muscle cells.

# publications[].label
IL-1β reduces cardiac lymphatic muscle contraction via COX-2 and PGE2 induction: Potential role in myocarditis.

# publications[].label
Independent and interactive effects of preload and afterload on the pump function of the isolated lymphangion.

# publications[].label
Diminished myofibril organization in mutant axolotl hearts transfected with site-directed mutants of sarcomeric tropomyosins.

# publications[].label
Functional and molecular characterization of receptor subtypes mediating coronary microvascular dilation to adenosine.

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Reprogramming of myosin light chain 1/3 expression in muscle heterokaryons.

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Correlation between myofilament response to Ca2+ and altered dynamics of contraction and relaxation in transgenic cardiac cells that express beta-tropomyosin.

# publications[].label
Tu1737 IL-1 Inhibits Contraction of Intestinal Lymphatic Smooth Muscle -Implications for Chronic Gut Inflammation

# publications[].label
Interplay between the overlapping ends of tropomyosin and the N terminus of cardiac troponin T affects tropomyosin states on actin.

# publications[].label
Inflammatory state of lymphatic vessels and miRNA profiles associated with relapse in ovarian cancer patients.

# publications[].label
Charged residue changes in the carboxy-terminus of alpha-tropomyosin alter mouse cardiac muscle contractility.

# publications[].label
Phosphoregulation of Cardiac Inotropy via Myosin Binding Protein-C During Increased Pacing Frequency or 1-Adrenergic Stimulation.

# publications[].label
Abstract 5404: Perturbation of Tropomyosin Amino Acid Residues Binding to Actin at the Off State of Tropomyosin Increase Cardiac Muscle Dynamics

# publications[].label
Changes in end-to-end interactions of tropomyosin affect mouse cardiac muscle dynamics.

# publications[].label
Blunted flow-mediated responses and diminished nitric oxide synthase expression in lymphatic thoracic ducts of a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

# publications[].label
Insulin resistance disrupts cell integrity, mitochondrial function, and inflammatory signaling in lymphatic endothelium.

# publications[].label
Molecular and functional analyses of the contractile apparatus in lymphatic muscle.

# publications[].label
Effects of Creactive protein on rat mesenteric lymphatic contractility

# publications[].label
Differential effects of myosin light chain kinase inhibition on contractility, force development and myosin light chain 20 phosphorylation of rat cervical and thoracic duct lymphatics.

# publications[].label
Fibronectin increases the force production of mouse papillary muscles via 51 integrin.

# publications[].label
Ectopic expression of tropomyosin promotes myofibrillogenesis in mutant axolotl hearts.

# publications[].label
Roles of phosphorylation of myosin binding protein-C and troponin I in mouse cardiac muscle twitch dynamics.

# publications[].label
Lymphatic filariasis: perspectives on lymphatic remodeling and contractile dysfunction in filarial disease pathogenesis.

# publications[].label
Isolation of Lymphatic Muscle Cells (LMCs ) from Rat Mesentery.

# publications[].label
Immune cell mediated regulation of lymphatic contractility during inflammation

# publications[].label
Regional heterogeneity of length-tension relationships in rat lymph vessels.

# publications[].label
Macrophage alterations within the mesenteric lymphatic tissue are associated with impairment of lymphatic pump in metabolic syndrome.

# publications[].label
Purification and characterization of a high-molecular-weight protein induced in rat serum during the development of cardiac hypertrophy.

# publications[].label
Mouse model of a familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutation in alpha-tropomyosin manifests cardiac dysfunction.

# publications[].label
Emerging trends in the pathophysiology of lymphatic contractile function.

# publications[].label
Abstract 1580: Phosphorylation of Myosin Binding Protein C Contributes to the Force-Frequency Response and Beta-Adrenergic Enhancement of Cardiac Contraction

# publications[].label
Single embryoid body formation in a multi-well plate

# publications[].label
Roles of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase pump in the impairments of lymphatic contractile activity in a metabolic syndrome rat model.

# publications[].label
Calcium sensitivity and cooperativity of permeabilized rat mesenteric lymphatics.

# publications[].label
Lipopolysaccharide modulates neutrophil recruitment and macrophage polarization on lymphatic vessels and impairs lymphatic function in rat mesentery.

# publications[].label
Methods for lymphatic vessel culture and gene transfection.

# publications[].label
Functional domains of tropomyosin: new insights

# publications[].label
Citrus nomilin down-regulates TNF--induced proliferation of aortic smooth muscle cells via apoptosis and inhibition of IB.

# publications[].label
Mutually exclusive exon splicing of the cardiac calcium channel alpha 1 subunit gene generates developmentally regulated isoforms in the rat heart.

# publications[].publisher
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

# publications[].label
Fibronectin improves the impaired calcium signaling and myofilament activation in diabetic cardiomyocytes

# publications[].label
Regulatory mechanisms in lymphatic vessel contraction under normal and inflammatory conditions.

# publications[].label
Exchange of beta- for alpha-tropomyosin in hearts of transgenic mice induces changes in thin filament response to Ca2+, strong cross-bridge binding, and protein phosphorylation.

# publications[].label
Role of nomilin in regulation of inflammatory pathways potentiated by Substance P and TNFalpha in cardiovascular cells

# publications[].label
Enhancing Renal Lymphatic Expansion Prevents Hypertension in Mice.

# publications[].label
Ca sensitization of cardiac myofilament proteins contributes to exercise training-enhanced myocardial function in a porcine model of chronic occlusion.

# publications[].label
Application of atomic force microscopy measurements on cardiovascular cells.

# publications[].label
Molecular and physiological effects of overexpressing striated muscle beta-tropomyosin in the adult murine heart.

# researcherOn[].label
Role of mesenteric lymphatics and dietary endotoxin in metabolic syndrome

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Institutes of Health - (Bethesda, Maryland, United States)

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.preferredLabel
DHHS-NIH-National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders

# researcherOn[].label
Role of renal lymphatics in blood pressure regulation

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Institutes of Health - (Bethesda, Maryland, United States)

# streetAddress
Texas A&M University; Medical Physiology, School of Medicine; 8447 Riverside Parkway

# etdChairOf[].label
Zawieja, Scott D (2014-12). Macrophage Polarization And Nitric Oxide Mechanisms In Lymphatic Dysfunction In A Rat Model Of Metabolic Syndrome. Doctoral Dissertation.