INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHER
Mingfu Wu , PhDAssistant Professor
e-mail: WuM@mail.amc.edu
Phone: 518-262-0477
Fax: 518-262-8101
Education
2005 - PhD from Kansas State UniversityCurrent Research
We are interested in how cell polarity and asymmetric cell division contribute to cardiac progenitor differentiation and cardiac development. Currently, we focus on how cell polarity genes Numb, Par3 and CDC42 and primary cilium gene Kif3a function in epicardial cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition and differentiation to cardiac smooth muscle cells and fibroblast. Additionally, we are also interested in the functions of these genes in cardiac progenitor differentiation to different cardiac lineages in the mouse heart. Both epicardial cell specific and cardiac specific deletion of Numb and Numblike cause embryonic lethality and differentiation defect. The mechanism of how Numb is involved in cardiac progenitor differentiation is under investigation.
Research Interests
We are interested in Stem Cell self-renewal and differentiation. Specifically how cell polarity and asymmetric cell division function in embryonic stem cell specification to cardiac progenitor then differentiate to different cardiac lineages using genetic, developmental, molecular, biochemical and cellular tools. One of the tools we used a lot is the 4-dimentional Time-lapse image (Movie, 2010, Wu et al).
Research Summary
Stem cells are defined by their ability to self-renewal to propagate its population and also to differentiate to their destined cells to maintain tissue homeostasis. One of the key mechanisms for stem cell to fulfill its function is the division pattern: symmetric cell division and asymmetric division, which is usually determined by the niche (Figure, Wu, et al, Dev. Cell 2010). Symmetric cell division contributes to expand stem cell population, while asymmetric cell division contributes to differentiation. We are interested in how asymmetric cell division is controlled during stem cell differentiation in vivo.
PubMed Publications
- mig-5/Dsh controls cell fate determination and cell migration in C. elegan 2007.
- A novel noncanonical Wnt pathway is involved in the regulation of the asymmetric B cell division in C. elegans. 2006. Wu M, Herman MA. Dev. Biol
- Asymmetric localizations of LIN-17/Fz and MIG-5/Dsh are involved in the asymmetric B cell division in C. elegans. 2007. Wu M, Herman MA. Dev. Biol.
- Imaging hematopoietic precursor division in real time. 2007. Wu M, Kwon HY, Rattis F, Blum J, Zhao C, Ashkenazi R, Jackson TL, Gaiano N, Oliver T, Reya T. Cell Stem Cell.
- Epicardial spindle orientation controls cell entry into the myocardium. 2010. Wu M, Smith CL, Hall JA, Lee I, Luby-Phelps K, Tallquist MD. Dev. Cell.
