Christianne E. Strang, Ph.D.
Research Instructor, Vision Sciences

Contact Information
Office – 205.975.7222

Physical Address
341 Volker Hall
1670 University Boulevard

Mailing Address
1530 Third Avenue South
VH 341
Birmingham, AL 35294-0019

Education: 

Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama

Administrative Responsibilities:

Secondary Appointments:

UAB Graduate School

Personal:

Scholarly Activity:

Teaching -

NEUR 704, Introduction to Neurobiology

Instructor/ Course Co-Director

The following aspects of neurobiology are covered in lectures and laboratory exercises: neurons and glia, passive properties of neurons; resting potentials; action potentials; synaptic transmission; neurotransmitters and receptors; sensory transduction; muscle innervation and contraction; sensorimotor integration; and neurophysiological bases of behavior. In addition, students use computer simulations that allow a more in-depth exploration of cellular neurobiology than is possible in standard laboratory classes. 

VIS 743, Optics and Imaging

Lectures: Microscopes, fluorescence, imaging and applications

NEUR 720, Developmental Neuroscience

Lectures:  Induction of the nervous system and nervous system patterning, neural crest cells

VIS 744, Ocular Anatomy, Physiology & Biochemistry I

Lectures: Anterior chamber, trabecular meshwork, iris, and pupil

IBS 700, Cutting Edge Biotechnology

Lectures: Microscopes, fluorescence, imaging and applications

PO 121, Neurobiology of the nervous system

Lectures: Induction and patterning of the nervous system

Research -

My research has been focused on identifying the complement of functional neuronal nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) in the retina, describing the expression patterns of these receptors and determining how the activation of the cholinergic system in the retina shapes ganglion cell responses. It has been known for more than 30 years that acetylcholine (ACh) is synthesized and released in the retina. However, ACh in the retina has been mostly studied in terms of its involvement in directional selectivity and the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activation in early stage retinal waves.  That ACh release affects the response properties of many types of ganglion cells through the activation of both nicotinic and muscarinic AChRs has also long been established, but until recently little has been known about the receptors involved, or the mechanisms by which these effects are mediated.   Our research is focused on understanding the role of ACh as modulator of GC outputs.   Understanding the fundamentals of visual processing in healthy retinas will allow for insight into the effects of decreased ACh in Alzheimer's disease and the use of cholinesterase inhibitors in treatment of disease.

Specific research questions that I have addressed include defining which physiologically and morphologically defined ganglion cell types express nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs); which subtypes of nAChRs are expressed in the retina; to what extent receptor activation changes the response properties of the ganglion cells; and whether the receptors are confined to synaptic locations.  I published the first report clearly demonstrating that the a7 nAChR subtype is functional in adult mammalian retina.   More recently my research has explored how modulation of bipolar cell and amacrine cell responses through both the nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic systems can contribute to the shaping of ganglion cell responses.

Publications -

Siegwart, JT & Strang CE (2007) Selective Modulation of Scleral Proteoglycan mRNA Levels During Minus Lens Compensation and Recovery. Molecular Vision. 13:1878-1886

Strang CE, Renna JM, Amthor FR, Keyser KT. (2007) Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression by directionally selective ganglion cells. Visual Neuroscience. 24 (4) 523-533.

Renna JM, Strang CE, Amthor FR, Keyser KT. (2007) Strychnine but not PMBA inhibits neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed by rabbit retinal ganglion cell. Visual Neuroscience. 24 (4) 503-511.

Dmitrieva N, Strang CE, Keyser KT, (2007) Expression of alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cells of the rabbit retina. J Histochem Cytochem. 55 (5): 461-76 

Strang CE, Andison ME, Amthor FR, Keyser KT. (2005). Rabbit retinal ganglion cells express functional a7 nAChRs.  AJP: Cell Physiology.  289: C644-C655

Strang CE, Amthor FR, Keyser KT. (2003) Rabbit retinal ganglion cell responses to nicotine can be mediated by b2-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Visual Neuroscience. 20:651-662

Blute TA, Strang CE, Keyser KT, Eldred WD. (2003) Activation of the cGMP/nitric oxide signal transduction system by nicotine in the retina. Visual Neuroscience. 20:165-176

Additional Information: