Program Directors: Michael German and Matthias Hebrok
The overall objective of the UCSF DRTC Developmental Biology Program is to bring together research groups with an interest in stem cells and neuroendocrine cell development to apply their complementary expertise to the problem of how undifferentiated progenitor cells develop into insulin-secreting beta-cells in organized islets of Langerhans. This information will be applied to the development of strategies for the production of new islets for patients with diabetes, as well as to the understanding of the genetic variations that contribute to beta-cell defects in type 2 diabetes.
Specific research objectives of this program are as follows:
- Stem/Progenitor Cell Biology
As we learn more about the originals of islet cells during fetal development and during regeneration in the adult pancreas, it becomes increasingly obvious that we must understand the biology of the progenitor cells from which the islet cells develop. These cells may be transient multipotent precursor cell population or true stem cells, a self maintaining population of cells that retains the capacity to differentiate into multiple distinct cell types. Ultimately stem/progenitor cells may be the starting material for engineering new islet cells for transplantation in patients with diabetes. We need to learn how to identify these cells, how they are maintained, and what signals control their differentiation into mature islet cells.
- Cell Type Differentiation
As cells progress from pluripotent early progenitor cells to mature cells, a series of signals successively restricts their differentiation program until they become terminally differentiated cells. We need to understand the origins of these signals, how these signals control cell fate choice, and what series of signals control islet cell-type fates.
- Islet Formation and Organization
It is important that we not just focus on producing beta-cells, since there is a wealth of data demonstrating the importance of properly organized islets in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. We need to understand the signals that control the migration of the differentiating endocrine cells away from the ducts, their aggregation, and their organization into functioning islets.
Program Members:
| Arturo Alvarez-Buylla |
Brian Black |
| Pao Tien Chuang |
Joe DiRisi |
| Rik Derynk |
Gerard Evan |
| Meri Firpo |
Michael German |
| Steven Griffen |
Matthias Hebrok |
| Yuh Nung Jan |
Cynthia Kenyon |
| Gail Martin |
Martin McMahon |
| Caroline Mrejen |
John Rubenstein |
| Didier Stainier |
Robert Taylor |
| Zena Werb |
