|
Paul Janmey
Professor, Depts of Physiology, Physics, Bioengineering
Cell Biology and Physiology
Program
Address
1010 Vagelos Labs
3340 Smith Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office tel.: 215 573-7380
Lab tel.: 215 573-9787
Fax: 215 573-6815
E-mail: janmey@mail.med.upenn.edu
EDUCATION
Oberlin: AB (Chemistry/Philosophy), 1976.
University of Wisconsin: PhD (Chemistry), 1982.
LINKS
Dr.
Janmey's Lab |
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- cytoskeleton, phosphoinositide signalling, cell mechanics.
Key words: actin,
PIP2, cytoskeleton, gel, astrocyte, fibrin, gelsolin.
Search PubMed for articles
DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH
Our lab studies how physical effects such as forces applied to the cell or the stiffness of the
extracellular matrix affect cell structure and function. In one project, we produce soft biocompatible
materials, usually hydrogels, to study how the stiffness of surfaces alters cell structure, differentiation,
and growth. Endothelial cells, fictoblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, neurons, and astrocytes each show unique
dependence on substrate stiffness, and we seek to understand how they sense and respond to this mechanical cue.
In related work, we measure the structure and mechanics of cytoskeletal polymers using a variety of imaging, scattering, and rheologic methods. Forces are generally
sensed and transduced at the plasma membrane, and transmembrane receptors linked to signaling pathways involving polyphosphoinositides are key
elements in mechanotransduction. Some projects in the lab examine how changes in cell membrane structure mediated by inositol phospholipids lead to production of
signals that remodel the cytoskeleton.
.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Janmey, P.A. and C.A. McCulloch, (2007). Cell Mechanics:
Integrating Cell Responses to Mechanical Stimuli. Annu
Rev Biomed Eng. 9, p. 1-34.
Ju, Y.E., et al., Enhanced neurite growth from mammalian
neurons in three-dimensional salmon fibrin gels. Biomaterials,
2007. 28(12): p. 2097-108.
Janmey, P.A. and P.K. Kinnunen, Biophysical properties of
lipids and dynamic membranes. Trends Cell Biol, 2006.
16(10): p. 538-46.
Funaki, M., L. DiFransico, and P.A. Janmey, PI 4,5-P2 stimulates
glucose transport activity of GLUT4 in the plasma membrane
of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Biochim Biophys Acta, 2006. 1763(8):
p. 889-99.
Georges, P.C., et al., Matrices with compliance comparable
to that of brain tissue select neuronal over glial growth
in mixed cortical cultures. Biophys J, 2006. 90(8): p.
3012-8.
Lab
ROTATION PROJECTS
- Use atomic force microscopy to measure stiffness of cells cultured on patterned and flexible substrates.
- Biochemical and biophysical studies of purified cytoskeletal polymers and associated motor proteins.
- Evaluate fibrin and other biopolymer gels as scaffolds for stem cells and neurons for wound-healing applications.
- Biochemical and cellular studies of inositol lipid interactions with cytoskeletal proteins
- Personnel:
Margaret McCormick, research specialist
Ilya Levental, Graduate Student
Robert Bucki, Research Associate
Makoto Funaki - Res. Asst. Professor
Qi Wen - Postdoctoral fellow
Hyeran Kang, Graduate student
Bethany Bauman, Undergraduate student
J. Fitzroy Byfield, Research specialist
-
last updated 8/2007
|
