Jack A. Boulant, Ph.D.

Hitchcock Professor in Environmental Physiology Office - 201A Hamilton Hall Laboratory - 201/207 Hamilton Hall 1645 Neil Avenue Columbus  OH  43210-1218 614-292-7407 (office) 614-292-4888 (fax) boulant.1@osu.edu

Education:
Ph.D., Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Postdoctoral Training, Yale University, New Haven, CT

Research Interest:
Hypothalamic control of body temperature and fever; neural interactions between regulatory systems; neural control of circadian rhythms.

Current Research:
Within the brain, the hypothalamus controls several regulatory systems including the control of body temperature, blood pressure, body water, feeding and reproductive activity. Our previous studies show that some hypothalamic neurons sense changes in temperature, osmotic pressure, glucose and reproductive hormones. These neurons can be affected by fever-producing agents, such as interleukin-1 and prostaglandins. In addition, some neurons show circadian changes in their firing rates and temperature sensitivities.

Current experiments study the sensory and integrative properties of these neurons, in vitro, in hypothalamic tissue slices. Microelectrodes record the intracellular or extracellular activity of individual neurons in rat brain slices.

These experiments characterize neuronal responses to temperature and other endogenous factors (i.e., osmotic pressure, glucose, reproductive hormones, fever-producing agents, cyclic nucleotides, neurotransmitters and synaptic connections with nearby neurons. Our recent experiments explore various ionic currents that determine these neuronal sensitivities.

These studies provide an understanding of how hypothalamic networks function in a host of regulatory systems necessary for homeostasis. They also provide cellular explanations for the role of these neurons during thermal stress, exercise, fever, dehydration, malnutrition, menopausal hot flashes, and drug applications.

Equipment and Techniques:
Extracellular and intracellular (whole-cell) recordings, including voltage clamp techniques. 3-Dimensional morphological reconstruction of recorded retrogradely-labeled neurons.

Representative Publications:
• Griffin JD, Saper CB, Boulant JA. Synaptic and morphological characteristics of temperature sensitive and insensitive rat hypothalamic neurons. Journal of Physiology (London), 537:521-535, 2001.
• Armstrong LE, Boulant JA. Neuroendocrine influences on temperature regulation in hot environments. Endocrinology of Physical Exercise and Sport, ed. W.J. Kraemer & A.D. Rogol, International Olympic Committee, pp. 466-486, 2005.
• Zhao Y, Boulant JA. Temperature effects on neuronal membrane potentials and inward currents in rat hypothalamic tissue slices. Journal of Physiology (London), 564:245-257, 2005.
• Boulant JA. Neuronal basis of Hammel's model for set-point thermoregulation. Journal of Applied Physiology, 100:1347-1354, 2006.
• Boulant JA. Heat-induced membrane depolarization: an unlikely mechanism of central thermosensitivity. Point-Counterpoint article, American Journal of Physiology, 290:R1479 R1484, 2006.
• Wechselberger M, Wright CL, Bishop GA, Boulant JA. Ionic channels and conductance-based models of hypothalamic neuronal thermosensitivity. American Journal of Physiology 291:R518-R529, 2006.
• Wright CL, Boulant JA. Carbon dioxide and pH effects on temperature sensitive and insensitive neurons. Journal of Applied Physiology, 102:1357-1366, 2007.

Research Funding:
• "Neural Control of Temperature Regulation" (PI) NIH, R01, 2002-2008
• "Ohio State Neuroscience Center Core"  (Co-PI, Electrophysiology Core) NIH, P30, 2004-2009