Education | Research Interests |
MARY T. LUCERO
Professor of Physiology
e-mail: mary.lucero@m.cc.utah.edu
Publications
Education
Bachelor of Science, Highest Honors, Biological Sciences, June 1982, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.
Ph.D. in Physiology, 1984-1989, University of California, Davis.
Postdoctoral (Ph.D.) fellowship: 1989-1992, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Biology Department, Dr. W.F. Gilly's laboratory.
Research Interests
Olfactory physiology
Olfaction and the mechanisms whereby a chemical odorant signal is transduced into electrical messages and transmitted to the brain are the interests of Dr. Lucero. She is currently studying olfaction in both invertebrate (squid) and mammalian (mouse) models. The roles of modulatory neurotransmitters, second messengers and ion channels in generating electrical odorant responses are examined using perforated, whole cell and excised patch clamp techniques. The role of calcium in linking the electrical and biochemical responses is studied using confocal calcium imaging techniques. Additional projects in the lab include physiological characterization of stem cells and precursor cells.
Publications
(Go to the complete list in PDF Format)
Lucero, M.T., Huang, W. and Dang, T. (2000) Immunohistochemical evidence for the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in squid olfactory neurons. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences: 355: 1215-1218.
Piper, D.R., Mujtaba, T., Rao, M.S. and Lucero, M.T. (2000) Characterization of human neural precursors. J. Neurophysiol. 84: 534-457.
Danaceau, J.P. and Lucero, M.T. (2000) The electrogenic Na+/Ca2+ exchanger; a novel amplification step in squid olfactory transduction. J. Gen. Physiol. 115: 759-768.
Danaceau, J.P. and Lucero, M.T. (2000) Mixture interactions of glutamate and betaine in single squid olfactory neurons. J. Comp. Physiol. A 186: 57-67.
Lucero, M.T. and Poulsen, J. (2000) Betaine transport in giant fiber lobes of the squid Lolliguncula brevis. Am. J. Physiol. (in review).
Vargas, G. and Lucero, M.T. (2000) Dual regulation of the hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih) by PKA and cAMP in cultured rat olfactory receptor neurons. J. Neurophysiol. (in revision).
Mujtaba, T., Piper, D.R., Kalyani, A., Groves, A.K., Lucero, M.T. and Rao, M.S. (1999) Lineage-restricted neural precursors can be isolated from both the mouse neural tube and cultured ES cells. Developmental Biology 214: 113-127.
Piper, D.R. and Lucero, M.T. (1999) Calcium signaling in squid olfactory receptor neurons. Biological Signals & Receptors 8: 329-337.
Petty, C.N. and M.T. Lucero (1999) Characterization of a Na+-dependent betaine transporter with Cl- channel properties in squid motor neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 81(4): 1567-1574.
Vargas, G. and M.T. Lucero (1999) A new method for short term culture of adult rat olfactory receptor neurons. Chem. Senses 24: 211-216.
Vargas, G., J. Yeh, D. Blumenthal, and M.T. Lucero (1999) Protein kinase A activity is modulated by common components of whole-cell patch-clamp internal recording solutions. Brain Research 828:169-173.
Chen, N.S. and M.T. Lucero (1999) Transient and persistent tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium currents in squid olfactory receptor neurons. J. Comp. Physiol. A 184: 63-72.
Vargas, G. and M.T. Lucero (1999) Dopamine modulates the inwardly rectifying hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih) in cultured rat olfactory receptor neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 81: 149-158.
Danaceau, J., and M.T. Lucero (1998) Betaine activates a hyperpolarizing chloride conductance in squid olfactory receptor neurons. J. Comp. Physiol. A 183(2): 225-235.
Kalyani, A.J., D. Piper, T. Mujtaba, M.T. Lucero, and M.S. Rao (1998) Spinal cord neuronal precursors generate multiple neuronal phenotypes in culture. J. Neurosci. 18 (19): 7856-7868.
Lucero, M.T. and A. Squires (1998) Catecholamine concentrations in rat nasal mucus are modulated by trigeminal stimulation of the nasal cavity. Brain Research 807: 234-236.
Lucero, M.T. and N. Chen (1997) Characterization of voltage- and Ca2+-activated potassium channels in squid olfactory receptor neurons. J. Exp. Biol. 200, 1571-1586.
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