Gerald A. Meininger , Ph.D.

Professor and Director Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center MeiningerG@missouri.edu

Reserach Interests
Research in this laboratory is focused on vascular physiology and cell biology with an emphasis the microvasculature.

Active areas of research include:1) Cell adhesion, extracellular matrix and cell signaling in the vascular wall; 2) Mechanotransduction and mechanosensation in vascular cells; 3) Microvascular control during tissue injury; 4) Cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for mechanotransduction; 5) Mechanisms responsible for the myogenic properties of vascular smooth muscle; 6) Application of fluorescence microscopy and 3D-image analysis for studies of microvascular cell biology and the cyto-architecture and function of the microvessel wall; 7) Interaction of local vascular control with neurohumeral mechanisms of vasoregulation; 8) Microvascular control and adaptations during hypertension; and 9) Mechanisms of blood flow autoregulation.

An emphasis over the last several years has been to understand the role of the extracellular matrix, cell adhesion and the cytoskeleton in regulation of microvessel function; especially in the control of vascular tone. A fundamental aim has been to determine to what extent this matrix-adhesion-cytoskeletal axis may be involved in mechanotransduction phenomena that underlie regulation of vascular diameter such as the vascular myogenic response, flow-dependent responses of the endothelium and vascular remodeling.

Professional Background

• BS in Biology, Central Michigan University
• MS in Environmental Physiology, Central Michigan University
• PhD in Physiology, University of Missouri-Columbia
• Post-Doctoral Training, Texas A&M University Health Sceince Center
• Academic Career from Assistant to Full Professor, Texas A&M University Health Sceince Center
• Regents Professor, Associate Department Head, Department of Medical Physiology and Director, Division of Vascular Biology, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Texas A&M University Health Sceince Center
• Joined University of Missouri-Columbia as Director of Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center 2005
• Faculty Research Development Leaves Univeristy of Massachusetts 1990-1991; Ludwig Maxmillians Universitat 1999-2000
• Co-Editor: J. Vasc. Res., 1999-present, Associate Editor: Am. J. Physiol.: Heart Circ. Physiol., 1993-1999, Editorial Board member: Am. J. Physiol.: Ht Circ. Physiol.; Hyperten; J. Vasc. Biol.; Microvasc. Res.; Microc. Endo. Lymphat. Reg., Estab. Invest. Award, Am. Heart Association, 1988, Review Comm AHA-Natl 1996-present, NIH Study Sect Service: Member Shared Instrumentation Section, Member Musculoskel Tiss Eng Section, Past President of Microcirculatory Society, Secretary Treasurer, Cardiovasc Section APS

Selected Publications

• Martinez-Lemus LA, X Wu, E Wilson, MA Hill, GE Davis, MJ Davis and GA Meininger. Integrins as Unique Receptors for Vascular Control. J of Vasc Res 40:211-233, 2003.
  Martinez-Lemus LA, SS Bolz, MA Hill, U Pohl and GA Meininger. Acute mechanoadaptation of vascular smooth muscle cells in response to continuous arteriolar vasoconstriction: Implications to functional remodeling. FASEB J 18(6):708-710, 2004.
• Na S, Z Sun, GA Meininger and JD Humphrey. On atomic force microscopy and the constitutive behavior of living cells. Biomech and Modeling Mechanobiol 3:75-84, 2004.
  Martinez-Lemus LA, Z Sun, A Trache, JP Trzeciakowski and Meininger GA. Integrins and Regulation of the Microcirculation: From Arterioles to Molecular Studies using Atomic Force Microscopy. Microcirculation, 12: 1-14, 2005.
• Sarin, V., R. Gaffin, M.J. Davis, G.A. Meininger* and M. Muthuchamy. “RGD” containing peptides inhibit the force production of mouse papillary muscle bundles via a5b1 integrin. Journal of Physiology, 564.2:603-617, 2005. *{Shared senior authorship}
• Martinez-Lemus, L.A., T. Crow, M.J. Davis and G.A. Meininger. Integrin dependence of the vascular myogenic response. American Journal of Physiology (Heart Circ. Physiol.), 289:H322-H329, 2005.
• Partridge, C.R., E.S. Williams, R. Barhoumi, M. Tadesse, C.D. Johnson, K.P. Lu, G.A. Meininger, E. Wilson, K.S. Ramos. Novel genomic targets in oxidant-induced vascular injury. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 38:983-996, 2005.
• Trache, A. and G.A. Meininger. An atomic force-multioptical imaging integrated microscope for monitoring molecular dynamics in live cells. Journal of Biological Optics, 2005. (In Press)
• Trache, A., J.P. Trzeciakowski, L. Gardiner, Z. Sun, M. Muthuchamy, M. Guo, E. Wilson, S. Yuan, and G.A. Meininger. Effect of histamine on integrin a5b1 - Fibronectin interaction on endothelial cells studied using atomic force microscopy. Biophysical Journal, 89:2888-28898, 2005.
• Sun, Z., A. Trache, L.A. Martinez-Lemus, J.P. Trzeciakowski, G.E. Davis, U. Pohl and G.A. Meininger. Regulation of Integrin-fibronectin adhesion in vascular smooth muscle cells: Studies using of atomic force microscopy. American Journal of Physiology (Heart Circ. Physiol.), 2005. (In Press)

Methodologies/Techniques
Laboratory approaches include study of the intact microcirculation to isolated arterioles to freshly dispersed or cultured vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. Pharmacology of the intact microvasculature and isolated microvessels; Vessel culture and transfection; Immuno-cytochemistry of the microvessel wall and isolated cells; Three-dimensional flouresence imaging using multiphoton, confocal microscopy or wide field microscopy in combination with deconvolution; Atomic force microscopy and Protein expression analysis.