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Parcell, Allen C.

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Allen C. Parcell, PhD
HPRC Director, Exercise Science Advisor M-Z
EXERCISE SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT OF
College of Health and Human Performance

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Courses: ExSc 463, ExSc 666, ExSc 769
Office: 120E RB
Phone: (801) 422-4450
Email: allen_parcell@byu.edu

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Area of Discipline / Professional Expertise:

  • Skeletal muscle structure and function with an emphasis on cytoskeletal and contractile proteins.

Research:

  • There are several diseases (myopathies) associated with skeletal muscle. Familiar to most would likely be muscular dystrophy. These myopathies are, in many cases, associated with a deficiency or dysfunction of a particular muscular protein.
    The muscle cell is composed of many different proteins that facilitate contraction, structural integrity, and metabolic regulation. Currently our research focus has to do with two cytoskeletal (structural integrity) proteins, desmin and dystrophin, and their adaptive responses and functional significance in normal, healthy muscle.
    Desmin is a protein that links the internal force generating proteins with the muscle cell membrane thus facilitating the transmission of force from a contracting muscle. Dystrophin is a protein that serves to link desmin to the muscle cell membrane. Hence, desmin transmits forces generated by contractile proteins in the muscle cell and dystrophin makes a mechanical linkage with desmin and the muscle cell membrane. The absence or either or both of these proteins results in impaired muscle function.
    We have demonstrated increases in the protein desmin are a normal part of the adaptive process to exercise training. This suggests that the improved muscle function seen with exercise training may be related to increases in this structural protein. We hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the functional and adaptive characteristics of the muscle cytoskeleton thus facilitating the development effective exercise interventions to improve skeletal muscle function and possibly offset the debilitating effects of associated myopathies.

Education:

  • PhD, HUMAN BIOENERGETICS, BALL STATE UNIVERSITY, 1998
  • MS, EXERCISE SCIENCE, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1995
  • BS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, 1993

Affiliations:

  • ACSM - Primary

Selected Publications:

  • Parcell, A.C., M.T. Woolstenhulme, and R.D. Sawyer. Desmin and dystrophin responses to resistance and endurance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research , in press 2008
  • Laurentino, G., C. Ugrinowitsch, D. Andre’, A.C. Parcell, M.D. Ricard, and V. Tricoli. Effects of high intensity strength training and vascular occlusion on strength gains and muscle hypertrophy. European Journal of Applied Physiology, in press 2008
  • Woolstenhulme, M.T., R.K. Conlee, M.J. Drummond, A. Stites, and A.C. Parcell. Temporal response of desmin and dystrophin to progressive resistance exercise in human skeletal muscle. Journal of Applied Physiology 100:1876-1882, 2006
  • Woolstenhulme, M., C.E. Multer, E. Woolstenhulme, A.C. Parcell. Ballistic stretching increases flexibility and acute vertical jump height when combined with basketball activity. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 20(4):799-803, 2006
  • Parcell, A.C., M.J. Drummond, N. Miller, B. ONeil, R. Sawyer, and M. Woolstenhulme. Single fiber MHC polymorphic expression is unaffected by sprint cycle training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 37(7):1133-1137, 2005
  • Ricard, M.D., C. Ugrinowitsch, A.C. Parcell, S. Hilton, M.D. Rubley, R.D. Sawyer, and R.C. Poole. Effects of rate of force development on motor unit synchronization. International Journal of Sports Medicine 26(1):66-70, 2005
  • Drummond, M.J., P.R. Vehrs, G.B. Schaalje, and A.C. Parcell. Exercise sequence effects excess post exercise oxygen consumption. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 19(2):332-337, 2005
  • Woolstenhulme, M.T., L.S. Jutte, M.J. Drummond and A.C. Parcell. Desmin increases with high-intensity concentric contractions in humans. Muscle and Nerve 31(1):20-24, 2005

Experience:

Professional

  • Associate Professor, Brigham Young University, 2004
  • Assistant Professor, Brigham Young University, 1998-2003
© Brigham Young University, Exercise Sciences