University of Southern California
USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Visit USC USC Dornsife HomepageAbout
About
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Chien-Ping KoProfessor of Biological SciencesContact Information E-mail: cko@college.usc.edu Phone: (213) 740-9182 Office: HNB 209A Office Hours: W, F : 2-3 PM |
Education |
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 Ph.D. Physiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, 5/1975
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B.S. Zoology, National Taiwan University, Tawain, 5/1970
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Postdoctoral Training |
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Postdoctoral Fellow, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, 1978-1981
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Postdoctroal Fellow, University of Colorado Medical Center, 1975-1978
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Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History |
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Professor, University of Southern California,
Fall
1996
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Associate Professor, University of Southern California,
Fall
1987
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Assistant Professor, University of Southern California,
Spring
1981
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Description of Research |
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Summary Statement of Research Interests |
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| Professor Ko's research interests include cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic function, regeneration, development, remodeling and maintenance. His current research focuses on the role of the perisynaptic Schwann cell (PSC) and synapse-glial interactions at a prototype synapse, the neuromuscular junction. He is also interested in motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Professor Ko uses transgenic mouse models to investigate various aspects of the disease mechanisms. | |
Research Keywords |
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| cellular neurobiology, synapse formation, sprouting, remodeling and maintenance, synaptic transmission, synapse-glial interactions, neuromuscular junction, Schwann cells, amyotrophical lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, motor neuron disease | |
Publications |
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Book Chapter |
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Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2009).
Schwann Cells and Plasticity of the Neuromuscular Junction. pp. 561-566. Developmental Neurobiology by Academic Press.
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Ko, C., Sugiura, Y., Feng, Z.
(2007).
The Biology of perisynaptic (terminal) Schwann cells. pp. p.72-99. Cambridge: The Biology of Schwann cells/Cambridge University Press.
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Encyclopedia Article |
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Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2009).
Schwann Cells and Plasticity of the Neuromuscular Junction. (L.R. Squire, Ed.). 491-496.
Vol. 8.
Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Oxford: Academic Press.
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Ko, C.
(2001).
Neuromuscular System. 10595-10600. Oxford: International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences.
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Journal Article |
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Ling, K., Gibbs, R., Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2012).
Severe neuromuscular denervation of clinically relevant muscles in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy. Human Molecular Genetics.
Vol. 21, pp. 185-195. PubMed Web Address
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Yoo, Y., Ko, C.
(2011).
Treatment with trichostatin A initiated after disease onset delays disease progression and increases survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Experimental Neurology.
Vol. 231, pp. 147-159. PubMed Web Address
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Ling, K., Lin, M., Zingg, B., Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2010).
Synaptic Defects in the Spinal and Neuromuscular Circuitry in a Mouse Model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. PLoS ONE.
Vol. 5 (11), pp. e15457. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015457. PubMed Web Address
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An, M., Lin, W., Yang, J., Dominguez, B., Padgett, D., Sugiura, Y., Aryal, P., Gould, T. W., Oppenheim, R. W., Hester, M. E., Kaspar, B. K., Ko, C., Lee, K.
(2010).
Acetylcholine negatively regulates development of the neuromuscular junction through distinct cellular mechanisms. (This paper was recommended by Faculty of 1000 Biology). PNAS.
Vol. 107, pp. 10702-10707. PubMed Web Address
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Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2008).
Schwann cells promote synaptogenesis at the neuromuscular junction via Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-beta1. (This paper was highlighted in This Week in The Journal, and recommended by Faculty of 1000 Biology). Journal of Neuroscience.
Vol. 28, pp. 9599-9609.. PubMed Web Address
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Ko, C.
(2008).
Do nerve terminal sprouts contribute to functional recovery from botulinum neurotoxin A?. Journal of Physiology (Lond.).
Vol. 586, pp. 3021. PubMed Web Address
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Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2008).
The Role of Glial Cells in the Formation and Maintenance of the Neuromuscular Junction. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci..
Vol. 1132, pp. 19-28. PubMed Web Address
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Cao, G., Ko, C.
(2007).
Schwann cell-derived factors modulate synaptic activities at developing neuromuscular synapses. The Journal of Neuroscience.
Vol. 27 (25), pp. 6712-6722. PubMed Web Address
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Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2007).
Neuronal-glia interactions at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Current Opinion in Pharmacology.
Vol. 7, pp. 316-324. PubMed Web Address
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Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2005).
Synapse-Glia Interactions at the Vertebrate Neuromuscular Junction. The Neuroscientist.
Vol. 11, pp. 503-513. PubMed Web Address
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Corfas, G., Velardez, M., Ko, C., Ratner, N., Peles, E.
(2004).
Mechanisms and roles of axon-Schwann cell interactions. Journal of Neuroscience.
Vol. 24, pp. 9250-9260. PubMed Web Address
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Koirala, S., Ko, C.
(2004).
Pruning an axon piece by piece: a new mode of synapse elimination. Neuron.
Vol. 44, pp. 578-580. PubMed Web Address
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Reddy, L. V., Koirala, S., Sugiura, Y., Herrera, A. A., Ko, C.
(2003).
Glial cells maintain synaptic structure and function and promote development of the neuromuscular junction in vivo. (This paper was recommended by Faculty of 1000 Biology). Neuron.
Vol. 40, pp. 563-580. PubMed Web Address
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Ko, Chien-Ping and Thompson, Wesley J. (Ed.).
(2003).
The Neuromuscular Junction-a Special Issue. Journal of Neurocytology.
Vol. 32, pp. 421-1037.
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Koirala, S., Reddy, L. V., Ko, C.
(2003).
Roles of glial cells in the formation, function, and maintenance of the neuromuscular junction. Journal of Neurocytology.
Vol. 32, pp. 987-1002. PubMed Web Address
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Peng, H., Yang, J., Dai, Z., Lee, C., Hung, H., Feng, Z., Ko, C.
(2003).
Differential effects of neurotrophins and Schwann cell-derived signals on neuronal survival/growth and synaptogenesis. The Journal of Neuroscience.
Vol. 23, pp. 5050-5060. PubMed Web Address
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Brandon, E., Lin, W., D'Amour, K., Pizzo, D., Dominguez, B., Sugiura, Y., Thode, S., Ko, C., Thal, L., Gage, F., Lee, K.
(2003).
Aberrant patterning of neuromuscular synapses in choline acetyltransferase deficient mice. The Journal of Neuroscience.
Vol. 23, pp. 539-549. PubMed Web Address
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Yang, J., Cao, G., Koirala, S., Reddy, L. V., Ko, C.
(2001).
Schwann cells express active agrin and enhance acetylcholine receptor aggregation on muscle fibers. The Journal of Neuroscience.
Vol. 21, pp. 9572-9584. PubMed Web Address
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Honors and Awards |
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NIH/NSF Career Development Award, 1983-1987
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Service to the University |
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Administrative Appointments |
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Head, Neurobiology Section, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 08/16/2009-08/15/2012
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Director, Nuerobiology Ph.D. Program (BNRO), Dept. of Biological Sciences, 09/2008-06/2011
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Director/Associate Director
Center of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, 1994-2009
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Service to the Profession |
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Editorships and Editorial Boards |
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Editorial Board member, Neuron Glia Biology, 2004-
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Associate Editor, Brain Cell Biology, 2006-2008
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Associate Editor, Journal of Neurocytology, 2000-2005
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