DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY

For many years, the primary focus of study was on the development of the frog cerebellum, which shows certain unique features, although it has the same general plan of organization as in the mammalian cerebellum. Studies have shown that the frog cerebellum remains immature for unusually long periods in the bullfrog tadpole and undergoes maturation rather abruptly at the time of metamorphosis. Furthermore, the immature cerebellum of the tadpole can readily be induced to undergo precocious maturation by thyroid hormone. The frog cerebellum is, therefore, an ideal system for studies of thyroid hormone action on the central nervous system during development.

In another major research project, as part of a national program to investigate potential biological effects of 60 Hz electric and magnetic fields emitted by overhead high voltage power lines, we investigated possible detrimental effects of these physical factors on the cerebral cortex and cerebellar cortex of the developing rat brain.

Currently, my efforts are concentrated on the educational mission of the department, serving as the Course Director of CELL AND TISSUE BIOLOGY, a first year course at the New Jersey Medical School.

Representative Publications:

Gona, A.G., and Uray, N.J. Ultrastructural studies on Purkinje cells of the frog tadpole cerebellum. Brain Behav. Evol. 17:241-254, 1980.

PubMed Citation

Hauser, K.F. and Gona, A.G. Purkinje cell maturation in the frog cerebellum during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. Neuroscience 11:139-155, 1984. PubMed Citation

Gona, A.G., Pendurthi, T.K., Al-Rabiai, S., Gona, O. and Christakos, S. Immunocytochemical localization and immunological characterization of vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding protein in the frog cerebellum. Brain Behav. Evol. 29:176-183, 1986. PubMed Citation

Gona, A.G., Uray, N.J. and Hauser, K.F. Neurogenesis of the frog cerebellum. In: "Developmental Neurobiology of the Frog", Pollack, E.D. and Bibb, H.D., eds., Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York, pp. 255-276, 1988.

Yu, M.C., Gona A., Gona, O., Al-Rabiai, S., VonHagen, S. and Cohen, E. Effects of 60-Hz electric and magnetic fields on the maturation of the rat neopallium. Bioelectromagnetics 14:449-458, 1993. PubMed Citation

Gona, A., Yu, M.C., Gona, O., Al-Rabiai, S., VonHagen, S., and Cohen, E. Effects of 60-Hz electric and magnetic fields on the development of the rat cerebellum. Bioelectromagnetics 14:433-447, 1993. PubMed Citation

Uray, N.J., Gona, A.G., and Sexton, P.S. Calbindin immunoreactivity in Purkinje cells of the bullfrog cerebellum during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. Brain Behav. Evol. 51:284-290, 1998. PubMed Citation

Uray, N.J. and Gona, A.G. Calbindin immunoreactivity in the auricular lobe and interauricular granular band of the cerebellum in bullfrogs. Brain Behav. Evol. 53:10-19, 1999. PubMed Citation