Michael A. Pack

Associate Professor of Medicine

Department: Medicine

Contact information

GI Division, Department of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine
Rm. 1212, BRB II/III
421 Curie Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office: (215)573-4145

Email:
mpack@mail.med.upenn.edu

Graduate Group Affiliations

Cell and Molecular Biology

Publications

Search PubMed for articles

Links
Search PubMed for articles
Gastroenterology Division faculty

Education
B.A.
State University of New York at Binghamton, 1980.
M.D.
Washington University, 1984.

Permanent link

Description of Research Expertise

Research in my laboratory is geared towards studying medically relevant aspects of developmental biology, particularly organ development. Using the zebrafish system, we have applied genetics, gene targeting methodologies and pharmacological analyses to questions pertaining to growth, differentiation and survival of progenitor cells in the intestine, liver and pancreas. Through the positional cloning of zebrafish, our studies have led us in a number of directions. Currently, we are working to understand how diverse cellular processes such as endosomal and golgi trafficking, RNA and methionine metabolism and nucleocytoplasmic transport affect organ development and what implications these effects may have for studying human disease. A second major line of work concerns the role of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in the maintenance of the architecture in the intestine and other epithelial organs. This work has direct relevance to cancer biology, particularly cancer invasion.

Description of Clinical Expertise

Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Selected Publications

Yee NS, Gong W, Huang Y, Lorent K, Dolan AC, Maraia RJ and Pack M: Mutation of RNA Polymerase III Subunit rpc2/polr3b Leads to Deficiency of the RNA Cleavage Subunit, Rpc11/Polr3k, and Disrupts Zebrafish Digestive System Development. PLOS Biology November 2007.

Ho SY, Lorent K, Pack M* and Farber S. : Zebrafish fat-free, a gene required for intestinal lipid absorption, is essential for Golgi apparatus structure and vesicle recycling. Cell Metabolism 3(4): 289-300, 2006 Notes: Co-Senior and co-communicating author.

Pini B, Grosser T, Lawson JA, Price TS, Pack M, FitzGerald GA.: Prostaglandin E synthases in zebrafish. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 25(2): 315-320, Feb 2005.

Matthews R, Lorent K and Pack M. : Zebrafish vps33b, an ortholog of the gene responsible for human Arthrogryposis-Renal Dysfunction-Cholestasis syndrome, regulates biliary development downstream of the onecut transcription factor hnf6. Development 132(23): 5295-5306, 2005.

Wallace KN, Akhter S, Smith EN, Lorent K and Pack M. : Intestinal Growth and Differentiation in Zebrafish. Mechanisms of Development 122(2): 157-173, 2005.

Wallace KN, Dolan AC, Seiler C, Smith EM, Yusuff S, Chaille-Arnold L, Judson B, Sierk R, Yengo C, Sweeney HL and Pack M: Mutation of smooth muscle myosin causes epithelial invasion and cystic expansion of the zebrafish intestine. Developmental Cell 8(5): 717-726, 2005.

Yee NS, Lorent K and Pack M. : Exocrine pancreas development in zebrafish. Developmental Biology 284: 84-101, 2005.

Yee, NS and Pack, M.: Zebrafish as a model for pancreatic cancer research. Methods in Molecular Medicine Su, GH (eds.). 103, October 2004

Matthews RP, Lorent K, Russo P and Pack M. : The zebrafish onecut gene hnf-6 functions in an evolutionarily conserved genetic pathway that regulates biliary development. Developmental Biology 274(2): 245-259, 2004

Lorent K, Yeo SY, Oda T, Chandrasekharappa S, Chitnis A and Pack M. : Inhibition of Jagged-mediated Notch signaling disrupts zebrafish biliary development and generates multi-organ defects compatible with an Alagille syndrome phenocopy. Development 131(22): 5753-66. 2004

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