Research Interests:
Our laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms that underlie cell differentiation and cell regeneration in the developing and adult pancreas. Using mouse genetic and genomic approaches, we investigate which molecules control the switch between maintaining pancreatic stem/progenitor cells and inducing their differentiation into insulin-producing beta-cells. The mouse is an excellent model to study these questions, as it allows us to selectively activate and inactivate genes, to track cells in vivo, as well as to isolate, culture and transplant putative stem or progenitor cells. The long-term goal of our research is to identify molecular pathways, which could be targeted to induce beta-cell regeneration in vivo or to develop a cell-based therapy for the treatment of diabetes.
Track(s):
Genetics
MCB
BMS Focus Areas:
Developmental Biology
Endocrinology
|
Seymour, P. A., Freude, K. K., Dubois, C. L., Shih, H. P., Patel, N. A. and Sander, M. (2008) A dosage-dependent requirement for Sox9 in pancreatic endocrine cell formation. Developmental Biology, Developmental Biology 323: 19-30.
Jonckheere, N., Mayes, E., Shih, H.P., Li, B., Lioubinski, O., Dai, X., Sander, M. (2008) Analysis of mPygo2 mutant mice suggests a requirement for mesenchymal Wnt signaling in pancreatic growth and differentiation. Developmental Biology 318: 2241-235.
Nelson, S.B., Schaffer, A.E., Sander, M. (2007) The transcription factors Nkx6.1 and Nkx6.2 have equivalent activities in promoting beta-cell fate specification in Pdx1+ pancreatic progenitor cells. Development 134: 2491-2500.
Seymour, P.A., Freude, K., Tran, M., Mayes, E., Jensen, J., Kist, R., Scherer, G., Sander, M. (2007) Sox9 is required for maintenance of the pancreatic progenitor cell pool. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104: 1865-1870.
Henseleit, K.D., Nelson, S.B., Kuhlbrodt, K., Hennings, C., Ericson, J., Sander, M. (2005) Nkx6 transcription factor activity is required for alpha- and beta-cell development in the pancreas. Development 132: 3139-3149.
|
News