Anna Grazul-Bilska
Professor

Office: 189 Hultz Hall
Phone: (701) 231-7992
E-mail: anna.grazul-bilska@ndsu.edu

Research interests:
Animal Embryology, Reproductive Physiology and Endocrinology, Assisted Reproductive Technology, Cellular Interactions in Physiological and Pathological Conditions

Training/Education:
Postdoctoral research , Department of Animal and Range Sciences, North Dakota State University, 1986-1989.

Ph.D. , Reproductive Physiology - University of Agriculture and Technology, Olsztyn , Poland , 1983.
M.S. , Animal Genetics - University of Agriculture and Technology, Olsztyn , Poland , 1974.
B.S. , Animal Science - University of Agriculture and Technology, Olsztyn , Poland , 1973.

Courses taught:
ANSC 263 - Introduction to Animal Biotechnology (Syllabus-word format or .pdf format)

Recent publications:
Selected Book Chapters:

Anna T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer and L.P. Reynolds. Growth factors during ovarian angiogenesis. In: Vascular Morphogenesis in the Female Reproductive System (H. Augusitin, L. Ituela-Arispe, P. Rogers, S. Smith, eds), Springer Verlag, pp. 131-147, 2001.

Reynolds LP, Redmer DA, Grazul-Bilska AT. 2005. The Microvasculature of the Ovary. In: Microvascular Research: Biology and Pathology (PA D’Amore et al., eds. [D Shepro Ed.-in-Chief]), Academic Press/Elsevier, NY (ISBN 0-12-639510-1), 2005.

Selected Review Articles:

Anna T. Grazul-Bilska, L.P. Reynolds and D.A. Redmer. Gap junctions in the ovaries. Minireview. Biol. Reprod.57:947-957, 1997.

L.P. Reynolds, Anna T. Grazul-Bilska and D.A. Redmer. Angiogenesis in the corpus luteum. Review Article. Endocrine 12:1-9, 2000.

Anna T. Grazul-Bilska, M.L. Johnson, J.J. Bilski, D.A. Redmer, L.P. Reynolds, A. Abdullah and K.M. Abdullah. Wound healing: The role of growth factors. Drugs of Today. 39:787-800, 2003. Invited review.

Reynolds LP, Biondini ME, Borowicz PP, Grazul-Bilska AT, Vonnahme KA, Caton JS, Redmer DA. Functional significance of developmental changes in placental microvascular architecture: The sheep as a model. Endothelium 12:11-19, 2005. Invited review.

Reynolds LP, Borowicz PP, Vonnahme KA, Johnson ML, Grazul-Bilska AT, Redmer DA, Caton JS. Placental angiogenesis in sheep models of compromised pregnancy. Invited review. J. Physiol. 565:43-58 2005.

Reynolds LP, Joel S. Caton, Dale A. Redmer, Anna T. Grazul-Bilska, Kimberly A. Vonnahme, Pawel P. Borowicz, Justin S. Luther, Jacqueline M. Wallace, Guoyao Wu, and Thomas E. Spencer. Evidence for altered placental blood flow and vascularity in compromised pregnancies. Journal of Physiology, 572: 51-58, 2006.

Reynolds, LP, Borowicz PP, J.S. Caton, K.A. Vonnahme, J.S. Luther, D.S. Buchanan, Shireen Hafez, Grazul-Bilska AT, Redmer DA. Utero-placental vascular development and placental function: An update. Invited review. International J. Develop. Biol., Special issue “Placental Developmental Biology”, JS Hunt and KL Thornburg (eds.), 2009, in press.

Selected Refereed Journal Articles:

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer, S.D. Killilea, K.C. Kraft and L.P. Reynolds.  Production of mitogenic factor(s) by ovine corpora lutea throughout the estrous cycle.  Endocrinology 130:3625-3632, 1992.

A. Jablonka-Shariff, P.M. Fricke, A.T. Grazul-Bilska, L.P. Reynolds and D.A. Redmer. Size, number, cellular proliferation and atresia of gonadotropin-induced follicles in ewes. Biol. Reprod., 51:531-540, 1994.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer, A. Jablonka-Shariff, M.E. Biondini and L.P. Reynolds. Proliferation and progesterone production of ovine luteal cells throughout the estrous cycle: Effects of fibroblast growth factors (FGF), luteinizing hormone (LH) and fetal bovine serum (FBS). Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 73:491-500, 1995.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer, J. Zheng, S.D. Killilea and L.P. Reynolds. Initial characterization of mitogenic activity of ovine corpora lutea from early pregnancy, Growth Factors, 12:131-144, 1995.

A. T. Grazul-Bilska, L.P. Reynolds, J.D. Kirsch and D.A. Redmer. Gap junctional intercellular communication of bovine luteal cells from several stages of the estrous cycle: Effects of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. Biol. Reprod. 54:538-545, 1996.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, L.P. Reynolds, M.L. Johnson, A. Jablonka-Shariff, J.J. Bilski and D.A. Redmer. Gap junctional protein connexin 43 in bovine corpora lutea throughout the estrous cycle. Biol. Reprod. 54:1279-1287, 1996.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, L.P. Reynolds, J.D. Kirsch, J.J. Bilski and D.A. Redmer. Gap junctional intercellular communication of bovine luteal cells from several stages of the estrous cycle: Effects of prostaglandin F2α, protein kinase C and calcium. Prostaglandins 52:285-302, 1996.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer and L.P. Reynolds. Effects of luteinizing hormone and prostaglandin F2α on gap junctional intercellular communication of ovine luteal cells throughout the estrous cycle. Endocrine 5:225-233, 1996.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer, J.J. Bilski, A. Jablonka-Shariff, V. Doraiswamy and L.P. Reynolds.  Gap junctional proteins, connexin 26, 32 and 43 in sheep ovaries throughout the estrous cycle. Endocrine, 8:269-279,1998.

K.M. Abdullah, G. Lutra, J.J. Bilski, S.A. Abdullah, L.P. Reynolds, D.A. Redmer and Anna T. Grazul-Bilska.  Cell-to-cell communication and expression of gap junctional proteins in human diabetic and non-diabetic fibroblasts: Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor. Endocrine, 10:35-41, 1999.

T.K. Stenbak, D.A. Redmer, H.R. Berginski, A.S. Erickson, C. Navanukraw, M.J. Toutges, J.J. Bilski, J.D. Kirsch, K.C. Kraft, L.P. Reynolds, and A.T. Grazul-Bilska. Effects of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on follicular development, oocyte retrieval, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) in ewes during breeding season and seasonal anestrous. Theriogenology 56:51-64, 2001.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, L.P. Reynolds J.J. Bilski and D.A. Redmer.  Effects of second messengers on gap junctional intercellular communication of ovine luteal cells throughout the estrous cycle. Biol. Reprod. 65:777-783, 2001.

D.A. Redmer, V. Doraiswamy, B.J. Bortnem, K. Fisher, A. Jablonka-Shariff, A.T. Grazul-Bilska and L.P. Reynolds.  Evidence for a role of capillary pericytes in vascular growth of the developing ovine corpus luteum.  Biol. Reprod. 65:879-889, 2001.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, G. Luthra, L.P. Reynolds, J.J. Bilski, M.L. Johnson, S.A. Abdullah, D.A. Redmer and K.M. Abdullah.  Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) on proliferation of human skin fibroblasts in diabetes mellitus. Exp. Clin. Endocrinol. Diab. 110:176-181, 2002.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, J.T. Choi, J.J. Bilski, R.M. Weigl, J.D. Kirsch, K.C. Kraft, L.P. Reynolds and D.A. Redmer. Effects of epidermal growth factor on early embryonic development after in vitro fertilization of oocytes collected from ewes treated with follicle stimulating hormone. Theriogenology 59:1453-1461, 2003.

D.Pant, L.P. Reynolds, J.S. Luther, P.P. Borowicz, T. Stenbak, J.J. Bilski, R.M. Weigl, F. Lopes, M.L. Johnson, D.A. Redmer, and A.T. Grazul-Bilska.  Expression of connexin 43 and gap junctional intercellular communication in cumulus oocyte complex in sheep.  Reproduction 129:191-200, 2005.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D. Pant, J.S. Luther, J.T. Choi, P.P. Borowicz, C. Navanukraw, J.D. Kirsch, K.C. Kraft, R.M. Weigl, D.A. Redmer and L.P. Reynolds. Pregnancy rates and gravid uterine parameters in single, twin and triplet pregnancies in naturally bred ewes and ewes after transfer of in vitro produced embryos. Anim. Reprod. Sci., 92: 268-283, 2006.

K.A. Vonnahme, D.A. Redmer, E. Borowczyk, J.J. Bilski, M.L. Johnson, L.P. Reynolds and A.T. Grazul-Bilska. Vascular composition, apoptosis, and expression of angiogenic factors in the corpus luteum during prostaglandin F2α - induced regression in sheep. Reproduction 131: 1115-1126, 2006.

Borowczyk, E., Johnson, M.L., J.J. Bilski, P.P. Borowicz, Redmer, D.A., Reynolds, and Grazul-Bilska, A.T.  Expression of mRNA for gap junctional connexins 26, 32 and 43 in ovarian preovulatory follicles and corpora lutea in sheep. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 84: 1011-1020; 2006.

Grazul-Bilska, A.T., C. Navanukraw, M.L. Johnson, D.A. Arnold, L.P. Reynolds, and D.A. Redmer. Expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the ovine ovary throughout the estrous cycle. Reproduction, 132: 579-587, 2006.

Borowczyk, E., Johnson, M.L., Redmer, D.A., Reynolds, L.P., J.J. Bilski, and Grazul-Bilska, A.T.  Gap junctional connexins 37 is expressed in sheep ovaries. Endocrine 30: 223-230, 2006.

P.P. Borowicz, D.R. Arnold, M.L. Johnson, A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.A. Redmer, and L.P. Reynolds.  Placental growth throughout the last two-thirds of pregnancy in sheep: vascular development and angiogenic factor expression.  Biol. Reprod. 76:259-67; 2007.

Borowczyk E., Johnson M.L., J.J. Bilski, M.A. Bilska, P.P. Borowicz, Redmer, D.A., Reynolds, L.P., and Grazul-Bilska, A.T.  Role of gap junctions in regulation of progesterone secretion by luteal cells in vitro.  Reproduction, 133: 641-651, 2007. http://www.reproduction-online.org/cgi/reprint/133/3/641

T.J. Acosta, S. Yoshioka, J. Komiyama, S.H. Lee, A.T. Grazul-Bilska, D.J. Skarzynski and K. Okuda. Effects of storage and passage of luteal endothelial cells on endothelin-1 and prostaglandin F2α production. J. Reprod. Develop., 53: 473-480, 2007.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, C. Navanukraw, M. L. Johnson, Kimberly A. Vonnahme, Stephen P. Ford, L. P. Reynolds, and D. A. Redmer. Vascularity and expression of angiogenic factors in bovine dominant follicles of the first follicular wave. Journal of Animal Sciences, 85: 1914-1922, 2007.

K.A. Vonnahme, J. Evoniuk, M.L. Johnson, P.P. Borowicz, D.A. Redmer, L.P. Reynolds and A.T. Grazul-Bilska. Placental vascularity and growth factor expression in singleton, twin, and triplet pregnancies in the sheep. Endocrine, 33: 53-61, 2008.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, J. Banerjee, I. Yazici, E. Borowczyk, J.J. Bilski, R.K. Sharma, M. Siemionov, T. Falcone. Morphology and function of cryopreserved whole ovine ovaries after heterotopic autotransplantation. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 6: 16; 2008.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, J. S. Caton, W. Arndt, K. Burchill, C. Thorson, E. Borowczyk, J.J. Bilski, D.A. Redmer, L.P. Reynolds and K.A. Vonnahme. Cellular proliferation in ovine fetal ovaries: Effects of energy restrictions and selenium in maternal diet. Reproduction, 137:699-707. 2009.

A.T. Grazul-Bilska, J.J. Bilski, D.A. Redmer, L.P. Reynolds, K.M. Abdullah, and A. Abdullah. Antioxidant capacity of 3D human skin EpiDermTM model: effects of skin moisturizers. International Journal of Cosmetic Sciences, 31:201-208, 2009.