The Damsky lab focuses on the role of cell- extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions in mammalian development, tissue remodeling, and cell signaling, with emphasis on the integrin family of ECM receptors. Processes and tissues of particular interest include: trophoblast differentiation and invasion during formation of the placenta; differentiation of osteoblasts during formation and remodeling of bone; and regulation of cell survival and cell growth in fibroblasts and endothelial cells. In all these systems signals from ECM, transduced by integrins, play critical roles in tissue formation and remodeling. Approaches used range from analysis of signaling pathways relevant to cell growth, survival and differentiation using cultured cells, to generation of transgenic animals expressing truncated forms of integrins or ECM components.
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Selected Publications
Zhou, Y., Fisher, S.J., Janatpour, M., Genbacev, O., Dejana, E., Wheelock, M.J. and Damsky, C.H. (1997) Human cytotrophoblasts adopt a vascular phenotype as they differentiate: A strategy for successul endovascular invasion? J. Clin. Invest. 99: 2139-2151.
Ilic, D., Almeida, E., Schlaepfer, D.D., Dazin, P., Aizawa, S. and Damsky, C.H. (1998). Extracellular matrix survival signals transduced by focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK) suppress p53-mediated apoptosis. J. Cell Biol. 143:547-560.
Zimmerman, DL., Jin, F., Leboy, P., Hardy, S and Damsky, CH (2000) Impaired bone formation in transgenic mice resulting from altered integrin function in osteoblasts. Devel. Biol. 220: 2-15.
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