Institute of Neuroscience Faculty
Associate Professor, Department of Human Physiology
B.S., 1970, Wisconsin State
Ph.D., 1980, Washington Statey
Research Interests
Chronic and acute adaptations in muscle due to exercise.
The primary focus of the work conducted in our laboratory is on the ability of activity to influence the type-specific characteristics of mammalian skeletal muscle. This line of experimentation is based on our findings that prolonged alterations in the normal innervation patterns received by muscle can radically influence structural and functional characteristics. More specifically, it has been observed that chronic low frequency stimulation of fast muscle produced by implantation of electrodes in the proximity of the motor nerve is capable of inducing "fast to slow"-type transformation in muscle contractile proteins, sarcoplasmic reticulum (a system critical in muscle relaxation), and various calcium-binding proteins and metabolic enzymes. A major emphasis of our research is to determine if such changes can be produced with more physiological stimuli such as exercise training and, if so, what type of altered activity patterns are most effective in eliciting them. In addition, we are using the models of exercise and chronic stimulation to clarify the physiological function of several cellular proteins such as the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin as well as to assess the contribution of these various systems to the overall regulation of muscle contractile activity.
Representative Publications
- Stavrianeas, S., E. Spangenburg, T. Batts, J.H. Willliams, and G.A. Klug (2003) Prolonged exercise potentiates sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) uptake in rat diaphragm. Eur. J. App. Physiol. 89: 63-68.
- Favero, T.G., S. Stavrianeas, and G.A. Klug (1999) Training-induced alterations in lactate dehydrogenase reaction kinetics in rats: a re-examination. Exp. Physiol. 84: 989-998.
- Williams, J.H., C.W. Ward, E.E. Spangenburg, R. Nelson, S. Stavrianeas, and G.A. Klug (1998) Glucose 6-phosphate alters rat skeletal muscle contractile apparatus and sarcoplasmic reticulum function. Exp. Physiol. 83: 489-502.
- Williams, J.H. and G.A. Klug (1995) Calcium exchange hypothesis of skeletal muscle fatigue: a brief review. Muscle Nerve 18: 421-434.
- McCarthy, J.J., S.O. Henry, K.A. Luckin, N.D. Cholewinski, and G.A. Klug (1994) An instrument for the measurement of rapid reaction kinetics. Anal. Biochem. 221: 250-265.
- Jubrias, S.A., R.M. Bennett, and G.A. Klug (1994) Increased incidence of a resonance in the phosphodiester region of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectra in the skeletal muscle of fibromyalgia patients. Arthritis Rheum. 37:801-807.
- Favero, T.G., I.N. Pessah, and G.A. Klug (1993) Prolonged exercise reduces Ca2+ release in rat skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. Pflugers Arch. 422: 472-475.
- Jubrias, S.A. and G.A. Klug (1993) Are eccentric contractions required to induce the skeletal muscle fiber disruption that occurs following unaccustomed activity? Muscle Nerve 16: 1422-1423.
- Williams, J.H., C.W. Ward, and G.A. Klug (1993) Fatigue-induced alterations in Ca2+ and caffeine sensitivities of skinned muscle fibers. J. Appl. Physiol. 75: 586-593.
- Bode, A. K., S. K. Byrd, and G. A. Klug (1990) The relationship between plasma free fatty acids and liver mitochondrial function in vivo. Biochim. Biophys. Acta.1047: 161-167.
- Byrd, S. K., A. K. Bode, and G. A. Klug (1989) Effects of exercise of varying duration on sarcoplasmic reticulum function. J. Appl. Physiol. 66: 1383-1389.
- Klug, G. A. and G. Tibbets (1988) The effect of activity on Ca2+-mediated events in striated muscle. Exer. Sports Sci. Rev. 16: 1-59.
- Klug, G. A., E. Leberer, E. Leisner, J. Simoneau, and D. Pette (1988) Relationship between parvalbumin concentration and half relaxation time in chronically-stimulated skeletal muscle. Pfluegers Archiv. 411: 126-131.
- Leberer, E., G. A. Klug, U. Seedorf, and D. Pette (1987) Physiological regulation of parvalbumin concentration. Meth. Enzymol. 139: 763-776.