John Bissonette

M.D., McGill University, Canada, 1964

Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Joint Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology

The pattern of breathing in mammals changes in the neonatal period. This time period is also characterized by episodes of apnea. We use transgenicmice in which neurotransmitter receptors or ion channels are altered in order to define their roles in the development of respiratory control. Recent studies in mice in which the expression of a small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel can be regulated by doxycycline have shownthat overexpression of this ion channel disrupts the normal respiratory response to hypoxia and is characterized by apnea. Current work with this transgenic strain show an altered response to carbon dioxide stimulation when the channel is repressed.

Bond CT, R Sprengel, JM Bissonnette, WA Kaufman, D Pribnow, T Neelands, T Storck, M Baetscher, J Jerecic, J Maylie, H-G Knaus PH Seeburg, JP Adelman: Respiration and parturition affected by conditional overexpression of the Ca2 activated K+ channel subunit, SK3. Science 289: 1942-1946, 2000.

Bissonnette JM, SJ Knopp: Maturation of the hypoxic ventilatory response inC57BL/6 mice. Respir Physiol; In Press.

 To contact Dr. Bissonette directly: bissonne@ohsu.edu