Amy Tse

Biography

Amy Tse is a professor belongs to the department of Pharmacology from the university of Alberta.

Research Interest

There are three major areas of research: 1. Regulation of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion The endocrine response to stress is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. HPA axis hyperactivity is a common biological finding in patients with depression. The HPA hyperactivity is associated with a diminished ability of cortisol to suppress ACTH release from pituitary corticotropes. Our research focuses on understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in the inhibitory action of glucocorticoids on ACTH release. We employ POMC-eGFP mice that express the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) driven by the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) promoter to identify individual corticotropes among the heterogeneous population of pituitary cells. 2. Regulation of chemotransduction in carotid bodies The ability to maintain an adequate supply of oxygen is essential for survival. The major peripheral sensor for arterial oxygen level is the glomus (type 1) cells in the carotid bodies. In patients with sleep apnea, the repetitive drop in arterial oxygen level during sleep leads to hyperactivity of the carotid bodies, resulting in an increase in sympathetic drive and development of hypertension and chronic heart failure. Our research focuses on understanding the factors that regulate the Ca2+ signals and transmitter release from single rat glomus cells.