J. Ross McClung, Ph.D.

J. Ross McClung

Professor

Office Phone: 804-828-9550
E-mail: jmcclung@vcu.edu





EDUCATION

  • B.S., Biology, Auburn University (1966)
  • Ph.D., Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (1971)

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY INTERESTS

My interest in the anatomy of neurons has led to work in synaptology, degeneration, and regeneration, as well as analyses of the levels of order found in the neuronal organization of the CNS. My lab has focused on the neuronal organization of the spinal cord, ocular motor nuclei and at present the functional organization of the hypoglossal nucleus. Dr. Stephen Goldberg and I are collaborating using intracellular electrophysiological characterization of motoneurons followed by intracellular HRP labeling. Complete anatomical analysis of these functionally characterized neurons is carried out in my laboratory. These analyses have included total dendritic surface area determinations as well as soma size and motoneuron topography studies. These investigations allow direct comparison of the structure and function of motoneurons and demonstrate the neuronal organization available for the control of movement.

I have received the VCU School of Dentistry Award for Outstanding Classroom Instruction and the VCU School of Medicine Outstanding Teacher Award. Videos of my lectures were published by The Continuing Education Network, A Functional Anatomy of the Hand and Wrist, from the Upper Limb Symposium, Sydney Australia; A Dissection of the Pelvic Cavity, from the Symposium on Chronic Pelvic Pain, Chicago IL.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

  • McClung J.R. and S.J. Goldberg (1999) Organization of motoneurons in the dorsal hypoglossal nucleus that innervate the retrusor muscles of the tongue in the rat. Anat. Rec., 254:222-30.
  • McClung J.R. and S.J. Goldberg (2000) Functional anatomy of the hypoglossal innervated muscles of the rat tongue: a model for elongation and protrusion of the mammalian tongue. Anat. Rec., 260:378-86.
  • McClung J.R. and S.J. Goldberg (2002) Organization of the hypoglossal motoneurons that innervate the horizontal and oblique components of the genioglossus muscle in the rat. Brain Res., 950(1-2):321-4.