The "enteric glia" lab:

We study how inflammation in the nervous system (neuroinflammation) leads to long-term changes in gastrointestinal function. Within this context, we specialize in the study of intercellular communication between neurons, glia, and immune cells.

Calcium imaging of enteric neurons and glia

Selected Recent Publications

-> See this link for full publication list <-

Primary Literature

1. Seguella L, McClain JL, Esposito G, Gulbransen BD. (2022) Functional intra- and inter-regional heterogeneity between myenteric glial cells of the colon and duodenum in mice. J Neurosci. Oct 31:JN-RM-2379-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2379-20.2022. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36319118.


2. Grubisic V, Bali V, Fried D, Eltzschig H, Robson S, Mazei-Robison M, Gulbransen BD. (2022) Enteric glial adenosine 2B receptor signaling mediates persistent epithelial barrier dysfunction following acute DSS colitis. Mucosal Immunology. May;15(5):964-976. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41385-022-00550-7. Epub 2022 Jul 22. PMID: 35869148

3. Grubisic V, Gulbransen BD. (2022) Astrocyte Cell Surface Antigen 2 and Other Potential Cell Surface Markers of Enteric Glia in the Mouse Colon. ASN Neuro. Jan-Dec;14:17590914221083201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/17590914221083203. PubMed PMID: 35593118; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9125112

4. Duque-Wilckens N, Teis R, Sarno E, Stoelting F, Khalid S, Dairi Z, Douma A, Maradiaga N, Hench S, Dharshika CD, Thelen K, Gulbransen BD, Robison AJ, Moeser AJ (2022) Early life adversity drives sex-specific anhedonia and meningeal immune gene expression through mast cell activation. Brain Behavior and Immunity Mar 23;S0880-1591(22)00077-0. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2022.03.009. PubMed PMID: 35339629; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9149134.

5. Ahmadzai MM, McClain JL, Dharshika C, Seguella L, Giancola F, De Giorgio R, Gulbransen BD. (2022) LPAR1 regulates enteric nervous system function through glial signaling and contributes to chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction. J Clin Invest (JCI) Feb 15;132(4):e149464. http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/JCI149464. PubMed PMID: 35166239; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8843750.


6. Ahmadzai MM, Seguella L, Gulbransen BD. Circuit-specific enteric glia regulate intestinal motor neurocircuits. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 2021 Oct 5;118(40):e2025938118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2025938118. PMID: 34593632.


7. Chow AK, Grubisic V, Gulbransen BD. Enteric glia regulate lymphocyte activation via autophagy-mediated MHC-II expression. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH). Jun 22:S2352-345X(21)00123-5. Online ahead of print. DOI: http://dx/doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2021.06.008. PMID: 34166814.


8. McClain JL, Mazzotta EA, Maradiaga N, Duque-Wilckens N, Grants I, Robison AJ, Christofi FL, Moeser AJ, Gulbransen BD. (2020) Histamine-dependent interactions between mast cells, glia, and neurons are altered following early life adversity in mice and humans. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. Dec 1;319(6):G655-G668. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00041.2020. PMID: 32996781.

9. Grubisic V, McClain JL, Fried DE, Grants I, Rajasekhar P, Csizmadia E, Ajiola OA, Watson RE, Poole DP, Robson SC, Christofi FL, Gulbransen BD. (2020) Enteric glia modulate macrophage phenotype and visceral sensitivity following inflammation. Cell Reports. Sept. 8; 32(10):108100 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellrep.2020.108100 PMID: 32905782

10. Hernandez S, Morales-Soto W, Grubisic V, Fried D, Gulbransen BD. (2020) Pyridostigmine bromide exposure creates chronic, underlying neuroimmune disruption in the gastrointestinal tract and brain that alters responses to palmitoylethanolamide in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Neuropharmacology. Nov 15;179:108264. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108264 PMID: 32758565


11. Delvalle NM, Dharshika C, Morales-Soto W, Fried DE, Gaudette L and Gulbransen BD. (2018) Communication between enteric neurons, glia, and nociceptors underlies the effects of tachykinins on neuroinflammation. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH). May 29;6(3):321-344. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.05.009 PMID: 30116771

12. Delvalle NM, Fried DE, Rivera-Lopez G, Gaudette L, Gulbransen BD. (2018) The cholinergic activation of enteric glia is a physiological mechanism that contributes to the regulation of gastrointestinal motility. American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. Oct 1;315(4):G473-G483. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00155.2018 PMID: 29927320

13. Brown IA and Gulbransen BD. (2018) The antioxidant glutathione protects against enteric neuron death in situ, but its depletion is protective during colitis. American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. Jan 1;314(1)G39-G52. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00165.2017 PMID: 28882823

14. Grubisic V and Gulbransen BD. The activation of enteric glia modulates gut secretomotor function but not barrier function. The Journal of Physiology Jun 1;595(11):3409-3424. Epub 2017 Feb 22. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/JP273492 PMID: 28066889

15. Brown IAM, McClain JL, Watson RE, Patel BA and Gulbransen BD. Enteric glia mediate neuron death in colitis through purinergic pathways that require connexin-43 and nitric oxide. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH) 2016 Jan;2(1):77-91. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2015.08.007 PMID: 26771001

16. McClain JL, Fried DE and Gulbransen BD Agonist-evoked Ca2+ signaling in enteric glia drives neural programs that regulate intestinal motility in mice. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH) 2015 Nov;1(6):631-645. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2015.08.004 PMID: 26693173

17. McClain J*, Grubišić V*, Fried D, Gomez-Suarez RA, Leinninger GM, Sévigny J, Parpura V, Gulbransen BD. Ca2+ responses in enteric glia are mediated by connexin-43 hemichannels and modulate colonic transit in mice. Gastroenterology, 2014 Feb;146(2):497-507.e1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2013.10.061. [Epub ahead of print 2013 Nov 6.]. PMID: 24211490

18. Gulbransen BD, Bashashati M, Hirota SA, Gui X, Roberts JA, MacDonald JA, Muruve DA, McKay DM, Beck PL, Mawe GM, Thompson RJ, Sharkey KA. Activation of neuronal P2X7 receptor-Pannexin-1 mediates death of enteric neurons during colitis. Nature Medicine 2012 Mar 18(4): 600-604. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nm.2679. PMID: 22426419

19. Gulbransen BD, Bains JS, Sharkey KA. Enteric glia are targets of the sympathetic innervation of the myenteric plexus in the guinea pig distal colon. The Journal of Neuroscience 2010 May 12;30(19):6801-6809. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0603-10.2010. PMID: 20463242

20. Gulbransen BD and Sharkey KA. Purinergic neuron-to-glia signaling in the enteric nervous system. Gastroenterology 2009 Apr 136(4): 1349-58. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2008.12.058. PMID: 19250649

Review Articles (selected)

1. Dharshika C and Gulbransen BD. (2022) Enteric Neuromics: How high-throughput 'omics' deepens our understanding of enteric nervous system genetic architecture. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH) Nov 8:S2352-345X(22)00233-8. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2022.10.019. PMID:36368612


2. Seguella L and Gulbransen BD. (2021) Enteric glial biology, intercellular signaling, and roles in gastrointestinal disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology Mar 17. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41575-021-00423-7. PMID:33731961


3. Morales-Soto W and Gulbransen BD (2018). Enteric Glia: A New Player in Abdominal Pain. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH). Nov 24;7(2):433-445. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.11.005. PMID: 30739868

4. Gulbransen BD and Christofi FL (2018). Are we close to targeting enteric glia in GI diseases and motility disorders? Gastroenterology. Aug;155(2):245-251. Epub Jun 28. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2018.050. PMID: 29964042


5. Chow AK and Gulbransen BD (2016) Potential roles of enteric glia in bridging neuro-immune communication in the gut. American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology Dec 30. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00384.2016 [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28039160

6. Grubišić V and Gulbransen BD (2016) Enteric glia: The most alimentary of all glia. (Invited Review) The Journal of Physiology April 23. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/JP271021 PMID: 27106597

7. Gulbransen BD and Sharkey KA. Novel functional roles for enteric glia in the gastrointestinal tract. (Invited Review) Nature Reviews Gastoenterology & Hepatology. 2012 Nov 9(11):625-32. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038. [Epub ahead of print Aug 14, 2012] PMID: 22890111