Ramón A. Lorca, PhD

Education
PhD in Physiology, P. Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Contact
Research Complex 2
12700 East 19th Avenue
Room 3100D, MS 8613
Aurora, CO 80045

Phone: (303) 724-1126
Fax: (303) 724-3512

Research Interests
My research focuses on the regulation of vascular function during pregnancy and how it impacts fetal growth. I am currently investigating how potassium channels, which are known regulators of vascular reactivity, modulate uterine vasodilation and the maternal cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy and how the activity of these channels is impaired in pregnancy complications such as intrauterine growth restriction.

Full List of Publications

Recent Publications

1. Lorca RA, Lane SL, Bales ES, Nsier H, Yi H, Donnelly MA, Euser AG, Julian CG, Moore LG. High Altitude Reduces NO-Dependent Myometrial Artery Vasodilator Response During Pregnancy. Hypertension. 2019 06; 73(6):1319-1326. PMID: 31006328.
2. Lane SL, Dodson RB, Doyle AS, Park H, Rathi H, Matarrazo CJ, Moore LG, Lorca RA, Wolfson GH, Julian CG. Pharmacological activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ? (PPAR-?) protects against hypoxia-associated fetal growth restriction. FASEB J. 2019 Aug; 33(8):8999-9007. PMID: 31039323.
3. Lorca RA, Wakle-Prabagaran M, Freeman WE, Pillai MK, England SK. The large-conductance voltage- and Ca2+ -activated K+ channel and its ?1-subunit modulate mouse uterine artery function during pregnancy. J Physiol. 2018 03 15; 596(6):1019-1033. PMID: 29319186.
4. Li Y, Lorca RA, Su EJ. Molecular and cellular underpinnings of normal and abnormal human placental blood flows. J Mol Endocrinol. 2018 01; 60(1):R9-R22. PMID: 29097590.
5. Lorca RA, Ma X, England SK. The unique N-terminal sequence of the BKCa channel a-subunit determines its modulation by ß-subunits. PLoS One. 2017; 12(7):e0182068. PMID: 28750098.
6. Wakle-Prabagaran M, Lorca RA, Ma X, Stamnes SJ, Amazu C, Hsiao JJ, Karch CM, Hyrc KL, Wright ME, England SK. BKCa channel regulates calcium oscillations induced by alpha-2-macroglobulin in human myometrial smooth muscle cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Apr 19; 113(16):E2335-44. PMID: 27044074.
7. Yao J, Shcherbakova DM, Li C, Krumholz A, Lorca RA, Reinl E, England SK, Verkhusha VV, Wang LV. Reversibly switchable fluorescence microscopy with enhanced resolution and image contrast. J Biomed Opt. 2014 Aug; 19(8):086018. PMID: 25144452.
8. Lorca RA, Prabagaran M, England SK. Functional insights into modulation of BKCa channel activity to alter myometrial contractility. Front Physiol. 2014; 5:289. PMID: 25132821.
9. Li Y, Lorca RA, Ma X, Rhodes A, England SK. BK channels regulate myometrial contraction by modulating nuclear translocation of NF-?B. Endocrinology. 2014 Aug; 155(8):3112-22. PMID: 24914944.
10. Lorca RA, Stamnes SJ, Pillai MK, Hsiao JJ, Wright ME, England SK. N-terminal isoforms of the large-conductance Ca²?-activated K? channel are differentially modulated by the auxiliary ß1-subunit. J Biol Chem. 2014 Apr 04; 289(14):10095-103. PMID: 24569989.