Mark Miller, Professor
Department of Anatomy
Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico.
Telephone: (787) 721-1237
E-Mail: mmiller@rcm.upr.edu

B.A. University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. University of Connecticut; postdoctoral research at University of Hawaii, Hebrew University, University of California at Los Angeles, and Columbia University.

Research Interests

The broad goal of our research is to understand neuronal circuits underlying the generation and organization of complex behavior patterns. We use marine molluscs (e.g. Aplysia californica and Bursatella leachii) as model systems for these studies, because the nervous systems of these species contain large identified neurons. The role of certain modulatory substances (biogenic amines and neuropeptides) in the regulation of these neural circuits is of particular interest. Our current focus is on the neural control of motivated behavior patterns related to reproduction and feeding. The methods utilized include field observation, electrophysiological analysis of neural circuits, and the cellular localization of neuromodulators using immunohistochemistry.

Recent Publications

Miller, M.W. (2008) Colocalization and cotransmission of classical neurotransmitters: an invertebrate perspective. In: Co-existence and Co-release of Classical Neurotransmitters (R. Gutiérrez, Ed.) Springer. New York. (in the press)

Fort, T.J., Brezina, V., and Miller, M.W. (2007) Regulation of the crab heartbeat by FMRFamide-Like peptides: Multiple interacting effects on center and periphery. Articles in Press, J. Neurophysiology.

Serrano, G.E., Martínez-Rubio, C., and Miller, M.W. (2007) Endogenous motor neuron properties contribute to a program-specific phase of activity in the polymorphic feeding central pattern generator of Aplysia. J. Neurophysiology.98:29-42.

Fort, T.J., García Crescioni, K., Agricola, H.-.J., Brezina, V. and Miller, M.W. (2007) Regulation of the crab heartbeat by crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP): Central and peripheral actions. J. Neurophysiology. 97: 3407-3420.

Stern, E., Fort, T., Miller, M., Peskin, C., and Brezina, V. (2007) Decoding modulation of the neuromuscular transform. Neurocomputing 70: 1753-1758.

Díaz-Ríos M, and Miller MW. (2006) Target-specific regulation of synaptic efficacy in the feeding central pattern generator of Aplysia: Potential substrates for behavioral plasticity? Biological Bulletin210: 215-229.

Serrano GE, and Miller MW. (2006) Conditional rhythmicity and synchrony in a bilateral pair of bursting motor neurons in Aplysia. J Neurophysiology 96:2057-2071.

McPhie DL and Miller MW. (2006) Biological Bulletin virtual symposium:Marine invertebrate models of learning and memory. Biological Bulletin 210: 171-173.

Díaz-Ríos M, and Miller MW. (2005) Rapid dopaminergic signaling by interneurons that contain markers for catecholamines and GABA in the feeding circuitry of Aplysia. J Neurophysiol. 93: 2142-2156.

Fort TJ, Brezina V, and Miller MW. (2004) Modulation of an integrated central pattern generator-effector system: dopaminergic regulation of cardiac activity in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus. J Neurophysiol. 92: 3455-3470.

Painter SD, Cummins SF, Nichols AE, Akalal DB, Schein CH, Braun W, Smith JS, Susswein AJ, Levy M, de Boer PA, ter Maat A, Miller MW, Scanlan C, Milberg RM, Sweedler JV, Nagle GT. (2004) Structural and functional analysis of Aplysia attractins, a family of water-borne protein pheromones with interspecific attractiveness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 101: 6929-33.

Walters ET, Bodnarova M, Billy AJ, Dulin MF, Díaz-Ríos M, Miller MW, Moroz LL. (2004) Somatotopic organization of mechanosensory neurons expressing sensorin-A mRNA in Aplysia J. Comparative Neurology 471: 219-240.

Wu JS, Jing J, Díaz-Ríos M, Miller MW, Kupfermann I, Weiss KR. (2003) Identification of a GABA-containing cerebral-buccal interneuron-11 in Aplysia californica. Neurosci Letters 341: 5-8.

Robie A., Díaz-Ríos, M., and Miller, M.W. (2003) A population of pedal-buccal projection neurons associated with appetitive components of Aplysia feeding behavior. J Comp Physiol A 189: 231-244.

Díaz-Ríos, M., Oyola, E. and Miller, M.W. (2002) Colocalization of GABA-like immunoreactivity and catecholamines in neurons of the feeding network of Aplysia californica. J. Comparative Neurology 445: 29-46.

Kirk, M.D., Meyer, J.S., Miller, M.W., and Govind, C.K. (2001) Dichotomy in phasic-tonic neuromuscular structure of crayfish inhibitory axons. J. Comparative Neurology, 435: 283-290.

Delgado, J.Y., Oyola, E., and Miller, M.W. (2000) Localization of GABA- and glutamate-like immunoreactivity in the cardiac ganglion of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus. J. Neurocytology 29: 605-619.

Rosen, S.C., Miller, M.W., Evans, C.G., Cropper, E.C., and Kupfermann, I. (2000) Diverse synaptic connections between peptidergic radula mechanoafferent neurons and neurons in the feeding system of Aplysia. J. Neurophysiology 83: 1605-20.

Rosen, S.C., Miller, M.W., Cropper, E.C., and Kupfermann, I. (2000) Outputs of radula mechanoafferent neurons in Aplysia are modulated by motor neurons, interneurons, and sensory neurons. J. Neurophysiology 83: 1621-36.