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Peggy back in Texas showing Avery his heritage! 2009 Photo by Steve Allred |
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Courses
Animal Physiology, ZOOL 460/660 (Even Springs)
Developmental Biology, ZOOL 482/682 (Fall Semesters)
Growth Biology, BIOL/ANSC 730 (Odd Springs)
Research Interests
The Biga lab is interested in whole animal growth, with a particular interest in how muscle growth is regulated by and regulates various diseases affected by environmental interactions. Using comparative approaches we focus our studies on many organisms, including several fish species and rodents. We are currently focused on two main questions:
- How does mystatin regulate satellite cell growth and cell
fate choice?
- To address this question, we utilize several fish models using comparative approaches. Two closely-related fish species that exhibit opposing growth paradigms, giant danio-indeterminate and zebrafish-determinate, appear to regulate growth in different ways. We are using these species in a parallel manner to understand why some satellite cells become new muscle cells, while others join pre-existing cells. We are using normal growth, enhanced growth, and injury-induced scenarios to identify these parameters.
- Using indeterminate growing models-giant danio and rainbow trout-we are investigating how quiescent satellite cells are activated following various different stressors (injury, increased lipid signaling and deposition, and infection).
- Does myostatin play a role in high-fat diet induced obesity
and type 2 diabetes through muscle and/or immune regulation?
- To address this question, we are utilizing different strains of mice that exhibit high propensity or resistance to high-fat diet induced obesity and associated type 2 diabetes.
- We are focusing on the role myostatin plays in lipid metabolism, insulin signaling, and cellular growth. We are interesting in identifying the role of the extracellular matrix in regulating mstn signaling.
The Biga Laboratory
- Front: Keerthi Pakala, Sam
Billing, Peggy Biga Back: Jacob Froehlich, Ben Meyer, Delci
Christensen, Nick Galt
- Nick Galt and Elizabeth Braschayko presenting their work at the SICB meeting in Boston, January 2009.
Publications
Meyer, J.L. and Biga, P.R. 2009. Growth hormone differentially regulates growth and growth-related gene expression in closely related fish species. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A. 154:465-473. doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2009.07.023
Biga, P.R. and Goetz, F.W. 2006. Zebrafish and giant danio as models for muscle growth: Determinate versus indeterminate growth as determined by morphometric analysis. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 291(5):R1327-37.
Biga, P.R., Roberts S.R., Iliev D.B., McCauley L.A.R., and Goetz F.W. 2005. The isolation, characterization, and expression of a novel GDF11 gene and a second myostatin form in zebrafish, Danio rerio. Comp Biochem Phys. B. 141:218-230.
Biga, P.R., Peterson B.C., Schelling G.T., Hardy R.W., Cain K.D., Overturf K., and Ott T.L. 2005.Bovine growth hormone treatment increased IGF-I in circulation and induced the production of a specific immune response in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Aquaculture. 246:437-445.
Biga, P.R., K.D. Cain, R.W. Hardy, G.T. Schelling, K. Overturf, S.B. Roberts, F.W. Goetz, and T.L. Ott. 2004 Growth hormone differentially regulates myostatin-I and -II and increases circulating cortisol in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 138(1):32-41.
Congleton, J.L., P.R. Biga, and B.C. Peterson. 2003. Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations in yearling Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) migrating from the Snake River Basin, USA. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 29:57-66.
Biga, P.R., K.D. Cain, R.W. Hardy, K. Overturf, G.T. Schelling, and T.L. Ott. 2004 The effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on tissue IGF-I, IGF-I receptor, and GH mRNA levels in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 135(3):324-333.
Peterson, B.C., P.R. Simpson, K.D. Cain, R.W. Hardy,
G.T. Schelling, and T.L. Ott. 2003. Immunoneutralization of SS in
rainbow trout administration of somatostatin-14 and
immunoneutralization of somatostatin in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus
mykiss). J. Fish. Biol. 63:506-522.
Books
Biga, PR. Muscle Regulation. In: Molecular Research In Aquaculture. 2009. Edited by Ken Overturf. Wiley, John, and Sons Incorporated, ISBN: 0813818516.
Funding Sources
NIH, NIAMS, #1R03AR055350-01A2. 'A comparative approach to evaluate muscle growth in an indeterminate growth model.' Role: PI. 2009-2012
NCRR, NIH, COBRE, Center for Protease Research #2P20RR015566 "The role of MMPs in myostatin activation in skeletal muscle of obese and non-obese mice in response to high-fat diet." Role: PI. 2007-2012
ND INBRE #P20RR016741 Seed Project Funding, "The role of myostatin in immune system regulation." 2008-2009
NSF, ND EPSCoR #EPS-00447679, "Comparative analysis of muscle growth, metabolism, and the immune system to understand organismal growth." 2007-2009
News
- Press Release: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-11/aps-aga_1112706.php
Diet and Muscles
The Biga lab is investigating many avenues of possible functions that myostatin might play in vertebrates. We have several projects ongoing that are evaluating the role that myostatin plays in growth following injury, stress, and even high-fat diet intake. We are utilizing both fish and rodent models to answer these questions.
We are utilizing two closely-related fish species that exhibit opposing growth paradigms to evaluate the role that myostatin might play in cell fate choice and differential cell cycle control during post-embryonic growth. The giant danio exhibits indeterminate growth, like most large Salmonids, and is being utilized alongside rainbow trout to characterize satellite cell growth in this growth paradigm.We have developed and are characterizing a giant danio primary myoblast culture that we will use to identify the role of myostatin in myoblast proliferation and differentiation.
We are also investigating the effects of high-fat dietary intake on muscle growth and metabolism in rainbow trout. In addition we are investigating the expression of myostatin in various tissues following high-fat diet intake, with special interest in regions of high inflammation. This work is in collaboration with Rick Barrows and Ken Overturf at the Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station in Hagerman, ID.
- Nick bleeding a rainbow
trout.
- Sampling trout for RNA and
protein.
- Trout fed a high-fat (top)
or control diet (bottom).
- Shawn (Clark lab), Jacob
and Sam isolating myoblasts from trout.
- Isolating primary myoblasts.
Giant danio compared to Zebrafish
The giant danio (Danio aequipinnatus) is a close relative to the zebrafish (Danio rerio)- a popular and powerful developmental biology model organism. The giant danio exhibits indeterminate growth (does not reach a growth plateau like mammals, and can grow via hyperplastic and hypertrophic growth throughout their lives), while zebrafish are determinate growing fish (reach a growth plateau and only exhibit marginal hyperplastic growth in early larval growth). In addition, giant danio are larger in size than zebrafish, making them ideal for growth physiology research.
- The giant danio compared to
the zebrafish.
- Masson's trichrome stain of
transverse section of giant danio skeletal muscle. Red muscle
fibers are stained dark red, while white fibers stained more
blue. Pink fibers can be seen in darker purple.
- Masson's trichrome stain of
transverse section of zebrafish skeletal muscle. Red muscle
fibers (redish purple) can clearly be delineated from white
fibers (blue).