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Wen-Cheng Xiong,
M.D. PhD
E-mail:
Research Emphasis:
Neurons migrate and extend axons and dendrites to build the
nerve network in the brain. Osteoclasts attach to the bone matrix to absorb and
remodel bones. Cancer cells migrate to cause tumor metastasis. These processes
all require engagement of cells with the extracellular matrix which activates
integrin signaling and regulates actin cytoskeleton reorganization. Cells at the
same time integrate pathways in response to diffusible environmental cues to
mediate a variety of activities including cell adhesion and migration. We are
interested in how signals are propagated from the cell surface to cytoskeleton
to mediate cell migration. A combination of molecular, cell biological, and
genetic approaches has been employed to address this question.
Selected Publications
Wong, K.,. Ren, X.R.,. Huang, Y-Z., Xie, Y., Liu, G., Saito, H., Tang,
H., Wen, L., Brady-Kalnay, S., Mei, L.,. Wu, J. Y., Xiong, W-C., and. Rao,
Y. Signaling transduction in neuronal migration: roles of RhoGTPase
activating proteins and the small GTPase Cdc42 in the Slit-Robo pathway.
(2001) Cell 107: 209-221.
Wang, Q., Xie, Y., Du, Q-S., Wu, X-J., Feng, X.,. Mei,, L., McDonald, J., and Xiong, W-C. (2003) Regulation of the formation of osteoclastic actin rings by PYK2 interacting with gelsolin. J. Cell Biol. 160: 565-575.
Ren, X.R., Ming, G-L., Xie, Y., Hong, Y., Sun, D-M., Zhao, Z-q., Feng,
Z., Wang, Q., Shim, S., Chen, Z-f., Song, H-j., Mei, L., and Xiong, W.C.(2004)
Focal adhesion kinase in Netrin-1 signaling. Nature Neurosci. in press.