The Physiology Core will provide technical expertise to the investigators in this program in the measurement of lung function in mice. This laboratory will provide assistance with experimental design, performance of pulmonary function testing and analyses of lung function measurements. This facility has been active for the past seven years during which time we have tested lung function in both anesthetized mice using direct measures of resistance and compliance and indirect measures of lung function by barometric whole body plethysmography to evaluate baseline and dose-responses to cholinergic, non-specific agonists. The studies have been performed on mice with different genetic backgrounds and mice with a range of genetic alterations, lung specific cytokine overexpression, cytokine and cytokine receptor gene deficient mice, and mice deficient in different transcription factors. These studies have taken advantage of multiple different models of airway inflammation, including inducible overexpression systems, antigen and hapten (isocyanate) immunized/sensitized mice and mice sensitized after adoptive transfer of in vitro generated T cells. Our past experience has provided us with data in each of these animals models defining the optimal age of the animals and timing for performing these studies.
The aims of the Core are to 1) characterize alterations in baseline lung function and bronchoconstrictor response to cholinergic agonists in vivo; 2) determine the reversibility of altered lung function using inhaled bronchodilators. The Core will provide the facilities and expertise to perform direct and indirect measurements of lung function, administration of intravenous and aerosolized agonists and bronchodilators and kinetic experiments.
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