Dr. Johanna Krontiris-Litowitz ProfessorAnatomy and Physiology330-941-3572jkrontirislitowitz AT ysu DOT eduWBSH 3041 B.S. Case Western Reserve UniversityM.S. Case Western Reserve UniversityPh.D. Cleveland State University
Left ventricular cardiac hypertrophy, one of the secondary pathologies associated with hypertension, is a condition whereby the left ventricle of the heart enlarges and becomes less effective at pumping blood, and ultimately progresses to (heart) failure. Previous studies in males have shown that the architecture of the left ventricular myocardium influences the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and many of the long-term changes in cardiac function. This architecture which is characterized by the morphology of the myocardial vasculature, myocytes, fibroblasts, and extracellular collagen demonstrates defined changes during the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. While most investigations of cardiac hypertrophy have been performed in male animal models, clinical evidence indicates that the structure as well as function of the hypertrophied heart differs between males and females. The goal of this laboratory is to identify and characterize gender-based differences in architecture of the hypertrophied heart using the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as an experimental model.
Students researchers will have the opportunity to work with a variety of in vivo and in vitro experimental preparations to measure cardiac function and will use laboratory techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, biochemical analysis of collagen, 2D gel electrophoresis, Western Blot analysis, and radioimmunoassay
Krontiris-Litowitz, J. and Rita Fulton, Sex-based Differences in the Architecture of the Hypertrophied Heart in Salt-stressed Borderline Hypertensive Rats. The FASEB Journal 21:955.3 (2007).
Krontiris-Litowitz, J. Latisha Foster and Rita Fulton, High Sodium Diet Alters Mast Cell Content in the Left Ventricle of Borderline Hypertensive Rats. The FASEB Journal 21:955.3 (2007).
Krontiris-Litowitz, J. Latisha Foster and Ben Fulton, Gender-Based Differences in Perivascular Collagen Deposition in the Hypertrophied Hearts of Borderline Hypertensive Rats. The FASEB Journal 21:507.1 (2007).
Krontiris-Litowitz, J. K. Elevated Dietary Sodium Induces Ventricular Hypertrophy In Borderline Hypertensive Rats The FASEB Journal 16(4):A465 (2003).
Krontiris-Litowitz, J. K. +, Jennifer Hillyer*, and Gary Walker, Dietary Calcium Influences Ventricular Hypertrophy in Borderline Hypertensive Rats. The FASEB Journal 15(4):A465 (2001).
Krontiris-Litowitz, J. K. +, Tiffany Tomasic*, and Bruce Levison, Brain Catecholamine Content in Male and Female Borderline Hypertensive Rats on a High Salt Diet. The FASEB Journal 14(4):A94 (2000).
Krontiris-Litowitz, Johanna, Sensitizing stimulation causes a long-lasting increase in heart rate in Aplysia californica. J. Comp. Phys. A (1999) 185:181-186.
Krontiris-Litowitz, Johanna K., Edgar T. Walters, and David J. McAdoo, Stress-elicited changes in amino acid levels in hemolymph of Aplysia californica. J. Comp. Phys. B (1994) 163:671-675.
Krontiris-Litowitz, Johanna K., Bruce Cooper, and Edgar T. Walters, Humoral Factors Released During Trauma of Aplysia Body Wall: II. Possible Mediators and Preliminary Model of Trauma Signal Pathways. J. Comp. Phys. B (1989) 159:211-223.
Cooper, Bruce, Johanna Krontiris-Litowitz, and Edgar T. Walters, Humoral Factors Released During Trauma of Aplysia Body Wall: I. Body Wall Contractions, Cardiac Modulation, and Central Suppression. J. Comp. Phys. B (1989) 159:225-235.
Krontiris-Litowitz, J, K., FMRF-amide Suppresses the Development of Sensitization-induced Increase in Heart Rate in Aplysia californica. Soc. for Neurosci. Abstr. 21(2):1457 (1995)