|
Selected Publications
DiFranco, M.,
Quinonez, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2012.
The delayed rectifier potassium conductance in the sarcolemma and the transverse tubular system membranes of mammalian skeletal muscle fibers.
Journal General Physiology. 2012. 140(2):109-137.
|
DiFranco, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2011.
The Na conductance in the sarcolemma and the transverse tubular
system membranes of mammalian skeletal muscle fibers. Journal General Physiology. 2011. 138(4):393-419.
|
Ermolova, N., Kudryashova, E., DiFranco, M., Vergara, J. L., Kramerova, I., and Spencer M. 2011.
Pathogenity of some limb girdle muscular dystrophy mutations can result from reduced anchorage to myofibrils and altered stability of calpain 3.
Human Molecular Genetics, 2011, Vol. 20, No. 17 pp. 3331-3345.
|
DiFranco, M.,
Tran, P., Quinonez, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2011.
Functional Expression of Transgenic {alpha}1sDHPR Channels in Adult Mammalian Skeletal Muscle Fibers.
Journal of Physiology 589.6 (2011) pp 1421–1442.
|
DiFranco, M., Herrera, A., and Vergara, J. L. 2010.
Chloride currents from the transverse tubular system in adult
mammalian skeletal muscle fibers. Journal of General Physiology. 2011. 137(1):21-41.
|
Capote, J., DiFranco, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2010.
Excitation-contraction coupling alterations in mdx and utrophin/dystrophin
double knockout mice: a comparative study. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology 298:1077-1086.
|
DiFranco,
M., Capote, J., Quinonez, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2009.
DNA transfection of
mammalian skeletal muscles using in vivo electroporation. JoVE. 32. http://www.jove.com/index/details.stp?id=1520.
|
DiFranco,
M., Capote, J., Quinonez, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2008.
Dystrophic Skeletal
Muscle Fibers Display Alterations at the level of Calcium Release Microdomains.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105(38):14698-703.
|
Morgado-Valle, C., Beltran-Parraza, L., DiFranco, M., Vergara, J.L., and
Feldman, J.L. 2008.
Somatic Ca2+ dynamics in active preBötzinger complex
inspiratory neurons. Journal of Physiology 586 (Pt 18):4531-40.
|
DiFranco, M., Capote, J., Quinonez, M.,
and Vergara, J. L. 2007.
Voltage-dependent Dynamic FRET Signals from the
Transverse Tubules in Mammalian Skeletal Muscle Fibers. Journal of General
Physiology 130:581-600 .
|
Faas, G,
Schwaller, B., Vergara, J.L. and, Mody, I. 2007.
Resolving the Fast Kinetics of
Cooperative Binding: New Insights into the Regulation of Cellular Ca2+. PLoS
Biology 5:e311.
|
Vergara, J.
L. and DiFranco, M. 2006. Modulation by caffeine of calcium release microdomains
in frog skeletal muscle. Biological Research vol.39, no.3, p.567-581.
|
Gomez, J.,
Ñeco, P., DiFranco, M., and Vergara, J. L. 2006.
Calcium release domains in
mammalian skeletal muscle studied with two-photon imaging and spot detection
techniques. Journal General Physiology 127: 623 – 637.
|
DiFranco,
M., Ñeco, P., Capote, J., Meera, P., and Vergara, J. L. 2006.
Quantitative
Evaluation of Mammalian Skeletal Muscle as a Heterologous Protein Expression
System. Protein Expression and Purification 47: 281-288.
|
DiFranco,
M., Capote, J., and Vergara, J. L. 2005.
Optical Imaging and Functional
Characterization of the Transverse Tubular System of Mammalian Muscle Fibers
using the Potentiometric Indicator di-8-ANEPPS. J. Membrane Biology 209: 141-153
(2005).
|
Woods, C.E.,
Novo, D., DiFranco, M and Vergara, J. 2005.
Propagation in the transverse
tubular system and voltage dependence of calcium release in normal and mdx
muscle fibres. Journal of Physiology
(Lond) 568: 867-880.
|
Faas,
Guido C., Karacs, K., Vergara, J. L., and Mody, I. 2005.
Kinetic Properties of
DM-Nitrophen Binding to Calcium and Magnesium. Biophysical Journal 88:4421-4433.
|
Woods, C.E.,
Novo, D., DiFranco, M and Vergara, J. 2004.
Evoked sarcoplasmic reticulum
calcium release is impaired in dystrophic mouse muscle fibers. Journal of
Physiology (Lond) 557: 59–75.
|
Novo, D., DiFranco, M. and Vergara, J.
2003. Comparison between the predictions of diffusion-reaction models and
localized Ca2+ transients in amphibian skeletal muscle fibers. Biophysical
Journal 85: 1080-1097.
|
DiFranco,
M., Novo, D. and Vergara, J. 2002.
Characterization of the Calcium Release
Domains during Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscle Fibres.
Pflügers Archiv 443:508-519.
|
DiGregorio,
D. Negrete, O., Jeromin, A., Peng, H.B. and Julio L. Vergara. 2001.
Localization
of Action Potential-induced Presynaptic Calcium Domains in Active Zones of a
Cultured Neuromuscular Junction. European Journal of Neuroscience 14:1-16.
|
Vergara,
J.L., DiFranco, M. and Novo, D. 2001.
Dimensions of calcium release domains in
frog skeletal muscle fibers. Proceedings of SPIE
4259: 133-143.
|
Pattillo, J.M, Yazejian,B., DiGregorio, D., Vergara, J.L., Grinnell, A.D., and
Meriney, S. 2001.
Contribution of Presynaptic Calcium-Activated Potassium
Currents to Transmitter Release Regulation in Cultured Xenopus Nerve-Muscle
Synapses. Neuroscience 102: 229-240.
|
Nägerl,
U.V., Novo, D., Mody, I., and Vergara, J.L. 2000.
Binding Kinetics of
Calbindin-D28k Determined by Flash Photolysis of Caged Ca2+. Biophysical Journal
79: 3009-3018.
|
Cifuentes, F., Vergara, J. and Hidalgo,
C. 2000.
Sodium-calcium exchange in
amphibian skeletal muscle fibers and isolated transverse tubules. Am. J. of
Physiology. Cell Physiology, 279: C89-C97.
|
DiGregorio,
D., Peskoff, A., and Vergara, J. 1999. Measurement of action potential-induced
presynaptic calcium domains at a cultured neuromuscular junction. Journal of Neuroscience
19(18):7846-7859.
|
DiFranco, M, Quiñonez, M., DiGregorio,D.,
Kim, A.M., Pacheco, R. and Vergara, J.L. 1999.
Inverted double gap isolation
chamber for high-resolution calcium fluorimetry in skeletal muscle fibers.
Pflügers Archiv 483/3: 412-418.
|
Kim, A.M. and Vergara, J.L. 1998.
Supercharging accelerates T-tubule
membrane potential changes in voltage clamped frog skeletal muscle fibers.
Biophysical Journal 75: 2098-2116.
|
Kim A.M. and Vergara, J.L. 1998.
Fast voltage
gating of Ca2+ release in skeletal muscle revealed by supercharging pulses.
Journal of Physiology 511: 509-518.
|
DiGregorio,
D. and Vergara, J.L.
Localized
detection of action potential induced presynaptic calcium transients at a
neuromuscular junction. Journal of
Physiology 505: 585-592, 1997.
|
Yazejian, B., DiGregorio, D. A., Vergara, J. L., Poage, R.E., Meriney, S. D., and
Grinnell, A.D.
Direct measurements
of presynaptic calcium and calcium-activated potassium currents regulating
neurotransmitter release at cultured Xenopus nerve-muscle synapses. Journal
of Neuroscience 17: 2990-3001, 1997.
|
Escobar, A.L., Velez,P., Kim, A. M., Cifuentes, F., Fill, M., and Vergara, J.L. Kinetic
properties of DM-nitrophen and calcium indicators: rapid transient response to
flash photolysis. Pflügers Archiv
434: 615-631, 1997.
|
Velez, P., Gyorke, S., Escobar, A., Vergara, J.L. and Fill, M.
Adaptation
of single cardiac ryanodine receptor channels. Biophysical Journal 72:
691-697, 1997.
|
Kim A.M., DiFranco, M., and Vergara, J.L.
A
gap isolation method to investigate electrical and mechanical properties of
fully contracting skeletal muscle fibers.
Biophysical Journal 91: 924-931, 1996.
|
Matsuyama, S.S.,Yamaguchi, D.T., Vergara, J.L. and Jarvik, L.F.
Tetraethylammonium-induced calcium concentration changes in skin fibroblasts
from patients with Alzheimer disease. Dementia
6: 241-244, 1995.
|
Escobar, A.L., Cifuentes, F., and Vergara, J.L.
Detection of Ca2+ elicited by
flash photolysis of DM-nitrophen with a rapid indicator. FEBS Letters 364: 335-338, 1995.
|
Monck, J. R., Robinson, I.M., Escobar, A.L., Vergara, J.L. & Fernandez, J.M.
Pulsed Laser
imaging of rapid Ca2+ gradients in excitable cells. Biophysical
Journal 67: 505-514, 1994.
|
Sanchez, J.A. & Vergara, J. Modulation of action potential and Ca2+ transients
by flash photolysis of caged cAMP in single skeletal muscle fibres. American Journal of Physiology 266/5:
C1291-C1300, 1994.
|
Escobar, A., Monck, J., Fernandez, J.M. & Vergara, J. Localization of the site of Ca2+
release at the level of a single sarcomere in skeletal muscle fibers. Nature
367: 739-741, 1994.
|
Compagnon, D., Lagos, N., and Vergara, J. Phosphoinositides in barnacle muscle: A quantitative analysis. Biochemical
et Biophysical Acta 1167:94-101, 1993.
|
Vergara, J. and DiFranco, M. Imaging of calcium transients during excitation-contraction
coupling in skeletal muscle fibers. Advances in Experimental and Medical
Biology 311: 227-236, 1992.
|
Sanchez, X., Carrasco, M.A., Vergara, J. & Hidalgo, C. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
phosphatase activity in membranes isolated from amphibian skeletal muscle. FEBS
Letters 279: 58-60, 1991.
|
Asotra, K., Lagos, N., and Vergara, J. Synthesis of polyphosphoinositides in transverse
tubule and sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes of frog skeletal muscle.
Biochemical et Biophysical Acta 1081: 229-237, 1991.
|
Vergara, J., Di Franco, M., Compagnon, D., and Suarez-Isla, B. Imaging of calcium
transients in skeletal muscle fibers. Biophysical Journal 59: 12-24,
1991.
|
Vergara, J., Lagos, N., and Compagnon, D. A chemical mechanism of excitation ‑
contraction coupling in skeletal muscle. In: Transduction in Biological Systems.
C. Hidalgo, E. Jaimovich, J. Bacigalupo and J. Vergara., Eds., Plenum Press, pp.
415-427, 1990 .
|
Lagos, N., and Vergara, J. Phosphoinositides in
frog skeletal muscle: A quantitative analysis. Biochemical
et Biophysical Acta 1043: 235-244, 1990.
|
Vergara, J. and Asotra, K. A chemical
transmission mechanism of excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle. News in Physiological Sciences
2: 182-186, 1988.
|
Vergara, J. and Delay, M. A transmission
delay and the effect of temperature at the triadic junction of skeletal muscle.
Proceedings of the Royal Society
London, Series B 229: 97-110, 1986.
|
Delay, M., Ribalet, B., and Vergara, J.
Caffeine potentiation of calcium release in frog skeletal muscle fibers.
Journal of Physiology 375: 535-559,
1986.
|
Vergara, J., Tsien, R.Y. and Delay, M.
Inositol (1,4,5) trisphosphate: A possible chemical link in
excitation-contraction coupling in muscle.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 82: 6352‑6356,
1985.
|
Vergara, J. and Delay, M. The use of
metallochromic Ca indicators in skeletal muscle.
Cell Calcium 6: 119-132, 1985.
|
Ashcroft, F.M., Heiny, J.A. and Vergara, J.
Inward rectification in the transverse tubular system of frog skeletal muscle
studies with potentiometric dyes. Journal of Physiology 359: 269-291,
1985.
|
Lopez, J.R., Alamo, L., Caputo, C., Vergara, J. and DiPolo, R. Direct measurement of intracellular
free magnesium in frog skeletal muscle using magnesium selective
microelectrodes. Biochemical et Biophysical Acta 804: 1-7, 1984.
|
Heiny, J.A. and Vergara, J. Dichroic behavior
of the absorbance signals from dyes NK2367 and WW375 in skeletal muscle fibers.
Journal of General Physiology 84: 805-837, 1984.
|
Lopez, J.R., Alamo, L., Caputo, C., Vergara, J., y DiPolo, R. Determinación de la
concentración intracelular de Mg2+ libre en fibras de músculo
esquelético. Acta Científica Venezolana 34: 208, 1983.
|
DiPolo, R., Rojas, H., Vergara, J., Lopez, R., and Caputo, C. Measurements od
intracellular ionized Ca2+ in squid giant axons using Ca-selective
electrodes. Biochemical et Biophysical Acta 728: 311-318, 1983
|
Vergara, J., Delay, M., Heiny, J. and Ribalet, B.
Optical studies of T-system potential and calcium release in skeletal
muscle fibers. In: The Physiology of
Excitable Cells. A.D. Grinnell and
W.J. Moody, Jr., eds., Allan Liss, pp. 343-355, 1983.
|
Palade, P. and Vergara, J. Stoichiometries of
Arsenazo III-Ca complexes. Biophysical Journal 43: 355-369, 1983.
|
Heiny, J.A., F.M. Ashcroft, and J. Vergara. T-system Optical Signals Associated with
Inward Rectification in Skeletal Muscle. Nature 301: 164‑166, 1983
|
Heiny, J.A., and Vergara, J. Optical Signals from the Surface and T-system membranes in
skeletal muscle fibers. Journal of General Physiology 80: 203-230, 1982
|
Lopez, J. R., Alamo, L., Caputo, C., Dipolo, R.& Vergara, J. Determination of free ionic
Ca2+ in Frog Skeletal Muscle Fibers. Biophysical Journal 43:
1‑4, 1982
|
Vergara, J. & Caputo, C. Effects of Tetracaine on Charge Movements and Calcium Signals in
Frog Skeletal Muscle Fibers Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 80: 1477‑1481, 1983
|
Bezanilla, F., Vergara, J. and Taylor, R.E.
Voltage
Clamping of Excitable Membranes.
In: Biophysical Methods -
Methods in Experimental Physics. H.
Lecar and G. Ehrenstein, eds., Academic Press, N.Y., pp. 445-511, 1982.
|
Palade, P. & Vergara, J. Arsenazo III and
antipyrylazo III calcium transients in single skeletal muscle fibers. Journal
of General Physiology 79: 679-707, 1982.
|
Palade, P. & Vergara, J. Detection of Ca2+
with optical methods. In: Regulation of Muscle Contraction:
Excitation‑Contraction Coupling, A.D. Grinnell and M.A.B. Brazier, eds.,
Academic Press, New York, pp. 143-160, 1981.
|
Vergara, J., and Bezanilla, F. Optical Studies of E-C coupling with potentiometric dyes.
In: Regulation of Muscle Contraction: Excitation-Contraction Coupling, Alan D.
Grinnell, and Mary A.B. Brazier, Eds., Academic Press, New York, pp. 67-77, 1981
|
Bezanilla, F., and Vergara, J. Properties of
Excitable Membranes. In: Membrane Structure and Function, E.E. Bittar,
Ed.,Volume II, Chapter 2, pp. 53-112, 1980
|
Caputo, C., J. Vergara, and F. Bezanilla. Local anesthetics inhibit Tension Development
and Nile Blue fluorescence Signal in Frog Muscle Fibers. Nature 277:
401-402, 1979
|
Nassar-Gentina, V., J.V. Passonneau,
J.L.Vergara, and S.I. Rapoport. Metabolic Correlate of Fatigue and of Recovery
from Fatigue in single Frog Muscle Fibers.
Journal of General Physiology 72: 593-606
|
Vergara, J., Bezanilla, & Salzberg, B.M. Nile
Blue fluorescence signals from cut single muscle fibers under voltage or current
clamp conditions. Journal of
General Physiology 72: 775‑800, 1978.
|
Bezanilla, F., and Vergara, J. Fluorescence signals from Frog Skeletal Muscle Fibers. In:
Biophysical Aspects of Cardiac Muscle. M. Morad, Ed., Academic Press, New York,
pp. 229-254, 1978.
|
Vergara, J., S.I. Rapoport, and Nassar-Gentina, V. Fatigue and Post-tetanic Potentiation
in Single Muscle Fibers of the Frog. American Journal of Physiology 232:
C185-C189, 1977.
|
Vergara, J., and Bezanilla, F. Fluorescence Changes during Electrical Activity in Frog
Muscle stained with Merocyanine. Nature 159: 684-686, 1976.
|
Zampighi, G., J. Vergara, and F. Ramon. On
the Connection between the Transverse Tubule and the Plasma Membrane in Frog
Semitendinosus Skeletal Muscle. Journal of Cell Biology 64: 734-740, 1975.
|
Vergara, J. and S.I. Rapoport. Fatigue in Frog Single Muscle Fibres. Nature 252:
727-728, 1974.
|
Atwater, I., Rojas, E., & Vergara, J. Calcium influxes and Tension Development in
Perfused Single Barnacle Muscle Fibers under Membrane Potential Control. Journal of Physiology 243:
523‑551, 1974.
|
Keynes, R.D., Rojas, E., Taylor, R.E. & Vergara, J.
Calcium and Potassium systems of a
giant Barnacle Muscle Fiber under Membrane Potential Control. Journal of Physiology 229:
409‑455, 1973.
|
|