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The UCSF Program
in Craniofacial and Mesenchymal Biology
FACULTY
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Functional Genomics of Extracellular Proteolysis in Development and Cancer
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Our laboratory uses functional genomic approaches to define the role of proteolysis in controlling cell fate decisions, cell survival, vasculogenesis, inflammation and angiogenesis during development and tumorigenesis. Matrix metalloproteinases play a critical role by regulating extracellular matrix and cell surface proteins, growth and angiogenic factors, cell recruitment, cell proliferation and apoptosis. We wish to determine the identity and function of the critical proteinases, how their expression and activities are regulated, what the molecular and cellular targets of the proteinases are, and how these regulate the signaling pathways.
We are studying several critical developmental processes: endochondral bone formation, adipogenesis and branching morphogenesis in the mammary gland. We are also studying the mechanisms underlying epithelial-mesenchymal communication. We are taking genetic and molecular approaches to understand how proteinases regulate EGF, VEGF,wnt and FGF receptor signaling.
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Selected Publications
Coussens, L.M. & Z. Werb (2002). Inflammation and cancer. Nature 420:860-867.
Affolter, M., S. Bellusci, N. Itoh, B. Shilo, J.-P. Thiery & Z. Werb (2003). Tube or not tube: remodeling epithelial tissues by branching morphogenesis. Dev. Cell. 4: 11-18.
Ortega, N., D. J. Behonick & Z. Werb (2004). Matrix metalloproteinases and matrix remodeling during endochondral ossification. Trends Cell Biol. 14:86-93.
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Osteoblast depositing
bone matrix |
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