Joseph C. Callaway, PhD

Education

• PhD, Institution: University of Washington, Seattle
• Postdoctoral: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY

Research Interests

Research is focused on the integration of synaptic inputs in the dendrites of individual CNS neurons, the regional properties of neurons, the interaction between pairs of synaptically connected neurons, and the plasticity of synaptic inputs.

Studies are conducted mainly on thin slice preparations of rat cerebellum though identifiable neurons in slice preparations of other parts of the brain are also utilized. Concurrent whole cell patch electrophysiology and high-speed fluorescence imaging is used to measure signals throughout the dendrites of individual neurons. Imaging studies focus on calcium and sodium ion changes in the soma and dendrites of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Voltage sensitive dyes are also used to access the spatial extent of synaptic inputs. Synaptic inputs are activated by extracellular stimulus of appropriate axons or by simultaneous recording of a presynaptic neuron. The laboratory is equipped to visually patch one or more neurons on the surface of a thin slice using DIC optics. Imaging of calcium transients while recording potentials from synaptic inputs is used to examine the effects of local dendritic integration on the amplitude and extent of calcium elevation in the dendrites and to determine the contribution of this calcium to long term depression of excitatory synaptic inputs in Purkinje cells.

Representative Publications

• Kirchner MK, Foehring RC, Callaway J, Armstrong WE. Specificity in the interaction of high-voltage-activated Ca(2+) channel types with Ca(2+)-dependent afterhyperpolarizations in magnocellular supraoptic neurons. J Neurophysiol. 2018 Oct 1;120(4):1728-1739. doi: 10.1152/jn.00285.2018. Epub 2018 Jul 18. PubMed PMID: 30020842; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6230773.
• Wang L, Chandaka GK, Foehring RC, Callaway JC, Armstrong WE. Changes in potassium channel modulation may underlie afterhyperpolarization plasticity in oxytocin neurons during late pregnancy. J Neurophysiol. 2018 May 1;119(5):1745-1752. doi: 10.1152/jn.00608.2017. Epub 2018 Mar 14. PubMed PMID: 29537926; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6008096.
• Kirchner MK, Foehring RC, Wang L, Chandaka GK, Callaway JC, Armstrong WE. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2) ) modulates afterhyperpolarizations in oxytocin neurons of the supraoptic nucleus. J Physiol. 2017 Jul 15;595(14):4927-4946. doi: 10.1113/JP274219. Epub 2017 May 15. PubMed PMID: 28383826; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5509854.
• Dong HW, Hayar A, Callaway J, Yang XH, Nai Q, Ennis M. Group I mGluR activation enhances Ca(2+)-dependent nonselective cation currents and rhythmic bursting in main olfactory bulb external tufted cells. J Neurosci. 2009 Sep 23;29(38):11943-53. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0206-09.2009. PubMed PMID: 19776280; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3837548.
• Canavier CC, Oprisan SA, Callaway JC, Ji H, Shepard PD. Computational model predicts a role for ERG current in repolarizing plateau potentials in dopamine neurons: implications for modulation of neuronal activity. J Neurophysiol. 2007 Nov;98(5):3006-22. Epub 2007 Aug 15. PubMed PMID: 17699694.
• Kalume F, Lee SM, Morcos Y, Callaway JC, Levin MC. Molecular mimicry: cross-reactive antibodies from patients with immune-mediated neurologic disease inhibit neuronal firing. J Neurosci Res. 2004 Jul 1;77(1):82-9. PubMed PMID: 15197740.

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