Robert Cowles, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery (Pediatrics)
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
My laboratory is interested in the relationship between the enteric nervous system (ENS) and intestinal mucosal homeostasis. The ENS controls nearly every function of the bowel via a variety of neurotransmitters and peptide hormones. Understanding these actions has the potential to lead to new treatments for intestinal disorders.
Extensive Research Description
Our laboratory has found that serotonin (5-HT) and acetylcholine (ACh) are regulators of enterocyte turnover in the small intestine. Mouse models of 5-HT excess result in taller villi, deeper crypts, increased crypt cell division and increased enterocyte apoptosis in the ileum. Pharmacologic enhancement of 5-HT signaling has similar effects. The neural and cellular mechanisms that are involved in this process are under active investigation.
Other studies within our laboratory seek to understand how the enteric nervous system (ENS) responds to injury and how the microbiome may affect mucosal proliferation. The ENS is equivalent to the central nervous system (CNS) but its layers of protection from injury are significantly less. This suggests that it must have an ability to replace injured and dead components. In preliminary studies, we have found that intestinal ischemic injury results in neurogenesis in the ENS, a novel finding.
Coauthors
Research Interests
Biliary Tract; Digestive System Diseases; Epithelial Cells; Epithelium; Liver; Neuroglia; Neurons; Pancreas; Gastrointestinal Tract
Research Image
Enteric Neurogenesis
Whole mount section of the enteric nervous system (ENS) stained with anti-GFAP (red-glia) and an anti-GFP (green-new neuron) immunofluorescent antibodies revealing newly generated neurons after bowel resection in a mouse.
Selected Publications
- Useful techniques for the resection of foot melanomas.Cowles RA, Johnson TM, Chang AE. Useful techniques for the resection of foot melanomas. Journal Of Surgical Oncology 1999, 70:255-9; discussion 259-60.
- Laparoscopic biopsy of abdominal retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy for the diagnosis of lymphoma.Cowles RA, Yahanda AM. Laparoscopic biopsy of abdominal retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy for the diagnosis of lymphoma. Journal Of The American College Of Surgeons 2000, 191:108-13.
- Solitary hepatic cysts.Cowles RA, Mulholland MW. Solitary hepatic cysts. Journal Of The American College Of Surgeons 2000, 191:311-21.
- Cholinergic intrapancreatic neurons induce Ca²+ signaling and early-response gene expression in pancreatic acinar cells.Turner DJ, cowles RA, Segura BJ, Romanchuk G, Barnhart DC, Mulholland MW. Cholinergic intrapancreatic neurons induce Ca²+ signaling and early-response gene expression in pancreatic acinar cells. Journal Of Gastrointestinal Surgery : Official Journal Of The Society For Surgery Of The Alimentary Tract 2000, 4:475-80.
- Epidermoid cyst of the spleen.Cowles RA, Yahanda AM. Epidermoid cyst of the spleen. American Journal Of Surgery 2000, 180:227.
- Hereditary chronic pancreatitis: implications for surgical treatment and follow-up.Cowles RA, Eckhauser FE, Knol JA. Hereditary chronic pancreatitis: implications for surgical treatment and follow-up. The American Surgeon 2001, 67:182-7.
- Stimulation of rat pancreatic exocrine secretion by cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide.Cowles RA, Segura BJ, Mulholland MW. Stimulation of rat pancreatic exocrine secretion by cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide. Regulatory Peptides 2001, 99:61-8.
- Surgical management of peptic ulcer disease in the Helicobacter era--management of bleeding peptic ulcer.Cowles RA, Mulholland MW. Surgical management of peptic ulcer disease in the Helicobacter era--management of bleeding peptic ulcer. Surgical Laparoscopy, Endoscopy & Percutaneous Techniques 2001, 11:2-8.
- Functional overlap of IP(3)- and cADP-ribose-sensitive calcium stores in guinea pig myenteric neurons.Turner DJ, Segura BJ, Cowles RA, Zhang W, Mulholland MW. Functional overlap of IP(3)- and cADP-ribose-sensitive calcium stores in guinea pig myenteric neurons. American Journal Of Physiology. Gastrointestinal And Liver Physiology 2001, 281:G208-15.
- Doctor-patient communication in surgery: attitudes and expectations of general surgery patients about the involvement and education of surgical residents.Cowles RA, Moyer CA, Sonnad SS, Simeone DM, Knol JA, Eckhauser FE, Mulholland MW, Colletti LM. Doctor-patient communication in surgery: attitudes and expectations of general surgery patients about the involvement and education of surgical residents. Journal Of The American College Of Surgeons 2001, 193:73-80.
- Cholinergic stimulation of rat acinar cells increases c-fos and c-jun expression via a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent pathway.Turner DJ, Cowles RA, Segura BJ, Mulholland MW. Cholinergic stimulation of rat acinar cells increases c-fos and c-jun expression via a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent pathway. Journal Of Gastrointestinal Surgery : Official Journal Of The Society For Surgery Of The Alimentary Tract 2001, 5:661-72.
- Lysophosphatidic acid stimulates calcium transients in enteric glia.Segura BJ, Zhang W, Cowles RA, Xiao L, Lin TR, Logsdon C, Mulholland MW. Lysophosphatidic acid stimulates calcium transients in enteric glia. Neuroscience 2004, 123:687-93.
- Sphingosine-1-phosphate mediates calcium signaling in guinea pig enteroglial cells.Segura BJ, Zhang W, Xiao L, Turner D, Cowles RA, Logsdon C, Mulholland MW. Sphingosine-1-phosphate mediates calcium signaling in guinea pig enteroglial cells. The Journal Of Surgical Research 2004, 116:42-54.
- Guidelines for the management of postoperative soiling in children with Hirschsprung disease.Saadai P, Trappey AF, Goldstein AM, Cowles RA, De La Torre L, Durham MM, Huang EY, Levitt MA, Rialon K, Rollins M, Rothstein DH, Langer JC. Guidelines for the management of postoperative soiling in children with Hirschsprung disease. Pediatric Surgery International 2019, 35:829-834.
- Outcomes following adoption of a standardized protocol for abscess drain management in pediatric appendicitis.Eysenbach LM, Caty MG, Christison-Lagay ER, Cowles RA, Dillon B, Goodman TR, Ozgediz DE, Stitelman DH, Solomon DG. Outcomes following adoption of a standardized protocol for abscess drain management in pediatric appendicitis. Journal Of Pediatric Surgery 2021, 56:43-46.
- Duodenal Duplication Cyst.Shah PA, Saluja S, Cowles RA. Duodenal Duplication Cyst. Journal Of Gastrointestinal Surgery : Official Journal Of The Society For Surgery Of The Alimentary Tract 2021.
- Reducing Underdiagnosis of Hirschsprung-Associated Enterocolitis: A Novel Scoring System.Lewit RA, Veras LV, Cowles RA, Fowler K, King S, Lapidus-Krol E, Langer JC, Park CJ, Youssef F, Vavilov S, Gosain A. Reducing Underdiagnosis of Hirschsprung-Associated Enterocolitis: A Novel Scoring System. The Journal Of Surgical Research 2021, 261:253-260.
- Laparoscopy is increasingly used for pediatric inguinal hernia repair.Shaughnessy MP, Maassel NL, Yung N, Solomon DG, Cowles RA. Laparoscopy is increasingly used for pediatric inguinal hernia repair. Journal Of Pediatric Surgery 2021.
- Trends in fundoplication volume for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease.Maassel NL, Shaughnessy MP, Solomon DG, Cowles RA. Trends in fundoplication volume for pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease. Journal Of Pediatric Surgery 2021.