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Jonathan M. Blagburn Ph.D.
Affiliation:
University of Puerto Rico
Physiology
"Neurological Disorders and Mental Health"
Title: Researcher
Rank: Professor
Address:
Institute of Neurobiology 201 Blvd. del Valle
Old San Juan, PR 00901
Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (787)721-4149 ext. 244
Narrative
I am interested in the molecular mechanisms of axon guidance and synaptic target recognition – the
proper wiring of all nervous systems depends on these mechanisms.
A mammal’s brain is very complex, so we studied this problem using identified neurons in the
cockroach, Periplaneta americana. The cercal sensory – to - giant interneuron escape system of the
cockroach has enabled it to survive for millions of years. We have cloned a transcription factor,
Engrailed that is expressed in a subset of the sensory neurons that detect air movements. We showed
that knockout of Engrailed using RNA interference alters the way the sensory axons grow, and more
interestingly, alters the pattern of inputs onto their synaptic targets, the giant interneurons. Recently,
we showed that this alteration in sensory input alters the animal’s perception of posterior wind,
making it choose escape trajectories more appropriate for wind from the front.
Engrailed is found in the brain of all animals, including humans, and may have links to Parkinson’s
disease and autism spectrum disorder. Recently I have started using Drosophila to characterize
Engrailed-expressing sensory circuits. Eventually this will enable us to take advantage of its advanced
genetics to screen for molecules that interact with Engrailed in controlling synaptic specificity.
Publications
1.
Pézier A, Jezzini SH, Marie B, Blagburn JM. Engrailed alters the specificity of synaptic PubMed
connections of Drosophila auditory neurons with the giant fiber. J Neurosci. 2014
Aug 27; 34(35):11691-704.
2.
Vega-Meléndez GS, Blagburn JM, Blanco RE. Ciliary neurotrophic factor and PubMed
fibroblast growth factor increase the speed and number of regenerating axons after
optic nerve injury in adult Rana pipiens. J Neurosci Res. 2014 Jan; 92(1):13-23.
3.
Pézier A, Blagburn JM. Auditory responses of engrailed and invected-expressing PubMed
Johnston's Organ neurons in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One. 2013;
8(8):e71419.
4.
Duprey-Díaz MV, Blagburn JM, Blanco RE. Changes in fibroblast growth factor-2 and PubMed
FGF receptors in the frog visual system during optic nerve regeneration. J Chem
Neuroanat. 2012 Dec; 46(1-2):35-44.
5.
Domenici P, Blagburn JM, Bacon JP. Animal escapology I: theoretical issues and
emerging trends in escape trajectories. J Exp Biol. 2011 Aug 1; 214(Pt 15):2463-73.
6.
Domenici P, Blagburn JM, Bacon JP. Animal escapology II: escape trajectory case PubMed
studies. J Exp Biol. 2011 Aug 1; 214(Pt 15):2474-94.
7.
Domenici P, Booth D, Blagburn JM, Bacon JP. Escaping away from and towards a PubMed
threat: the cockroach's strategy for staying alive. Commun Integr Biol. 2009 Nov;
2(6):497-500.
8.
Booth D, Marie B, Domenici P, Blagburn JM, Bacon JP. Transcriptional control of PubMed
behavior: engrailed knock-out changes cockroach escape trajectories. J Neurosci.
2009 Jun 3; 29(22):7181-90.
9.
Blanco RE, Soto I, Duprey-Díaz M, Blagburn JM. Up-regulation of brain-derived PubMed
neurotrophic factor by application of fibroblast growth factor-2 to the cut optic
nerve is important for long-term survival of retinal ganglion cells. J Neurosci Res.
2008 Nov 15; 86(15):3382-92.
PubMed
10. Domenici P, Booth D, Blagburn JM, Bacon JP. Cockroaches keep predators guessing PubMed
by using preferred escape trajectories. Curr Biol. 2008 Nov 25; 18(22):1792-6.
11. Blagburn JM. Engrailed expression in subsets of adult Drosophila sensory neurons: PubMed
an enhancer-trap study. Invert Neurosci. 2008 Sep; 8(3):133-46.
12. Blagburn JM. Co-factors and co-repressors of Engrailed: expression in the central PubMed
nervous system and cerci of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Cell Tissue Res.
2007 Jan; 327(1):177-87.
13. Soto I, López-Roca T, Blagburn JM, Blanco RE. Changes in nNOS and NADPH PubMed
diaphorase in frog retina and tectum after axotomy and FGF-2 application. Brain
Res. 2006 Aug 4; 1103(1):65-75.
14. Soto I, Rosenthal JJ, Blagburn JM, Blanco RE. Fibroblast growth factor 2 applied to PubMed
the optic nerve after axotomy up-regulates BDNF and TrkB in ganglion cells by
activating the ERK and PKA signaling pathways. J Neurochem. 2006 Jan; 96(1):8296.
15. Ríos-Muñoz W, Soto I, Duprey-Díaz MV, Blagburn J, Blanco RE. Fibroblast growth PubMed
factor 2 applied to the optic nerve after axotomy increases Bcl-2 and decreases Bax
in ganglion cells by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling
pathway. J Neurochem. 2005 Jun; 93(6):1422-33.
16. Blagburn JM, Bacon JP. Control of central synaptic specificity in insect sensory PubMed
neurons. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004; 27:29-51.
17. Marie B, Blagburn JM. Differential roles of engrailed paralogs in determining PubMed
sensory axon guidance and synaptic target recognition. J Neurosci. 2003 Aug 27;
23(21):7854-62.
18. Duprey-Díaz MV, Blagburn JM, Blanco RE. Neurotrophin-3 and TrkC in the frog visual PubMed
system: changes after axotomy. Brain Res. 2003 Aug 22; 982(1):54-63.
19. Duprey-Díaz MV, Soto I, Blagburn JM, Blanco RE. Changes in brain-derived PubMed
neurotrophic factor and trkB receptor in the adult Rana pipiens retina and optic
tectum after optic nerve injury. J Comp Neurol. 2002 Dec 23; 454(4):456-69.
20. Marie B, Cruz-Orengo L, Blagburn JM. Persistent engrailed expression is required to PubMed
determine sensory axon trajectory, branching, and target choice. J Neurosci. 2002
Feb 1; 22(3):832-41.
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