Catherine Lee May, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Developmental Biology Program

Address

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Abramson Research Center Rm 516E
3615 Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office tel.: 267-426-0116
Lab tel.: 215-590-5638
Fax: 215-590-3709
E-mail: catheril@mail.med.upenn.edu

Link(s)

The Dev Bio Program for Pedatric Disorders at CHOP

Education

Johns Hopkins University BA (Biology) 1995

Johns Hopkins University Ph.D. (Developmental Biology) 2000

Research Interests

• Transcriptional regulation of pancreas and gastrointestinal development and function using mouse models

Key words: Diabetes, beta cell, pancreas development, gastrointestinal differentiation, transcription, Islet-1.

Search PubMed for articles

Description of Research

Transcriptional control of pancreatic development and pancreatic β-cell function and growth by Isl-1
We are investigating the role of Isl-1 in the development of the pancreas as well as in maintaining proper pancreatic β-cell function. Isl-1 expression is detected in the developing pancreas and is later restricted to all pancreatic endocrine cells in the adult islets. This expression analysis, along with the fact that Isl-1 mutations have been identified in individuals with type II diabetes, suggests that Isl-1 may be involved in endocrine cell differentiation as well as in maintaining pancreatic βcell function and/or growth in the adult. We have now generated endoderm-specific as well as β-cell specific deletions of Isl-1 in the mouse. These mouse models will be used to analyze the phenotypic consequences of these mutations for pancreas development, function and growth.

Transcriptional control of enteroendocrine cell differentiation by Isl-1
Enteroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal epithelium regulate many aspects of gastrointestinal activity including glucose metabolism, delivery of bile and pancreatic secretions, and gut epithelial renewal. Isl-1 expression is detected in subsets of enteroendocrine cells in the gastric epithelium of the rat. To better understand the role of Isl-1 during the development of gastric epithelium, we are planning to characterize the expression pattern of Isl-1 in mice as well as generate various stomach/endoderm specific deletions of Isl-1 mouse models.

Recent Publications

Lee, C.S., Perreault, N., Brestelli, J.E., and Kaestner, K.H. (2002). Neurogenin 3 is essential for the proper specification of gastric enteroendocrine cells and the maintenance of gastric epithelial cell identity. Genes and Development. 16: 1488-1497.

Lee, C.S., Sund, N.J., Vatamaniuk, M.Z., Matschinsky, F.M., Stoffers, D.A., and Kaestner, K.H. (2002). Foxa2 controls Pdx1 gene expression in pancreatic b cells in vivo. Diabetes. 51: 2546-2551.

Lee, C.S., Sund, N.J., Behr, R., Herrera, P.L. and Kaestner, K.H. (2005) Foxa2 is required for the differentiation of pancreatic β-cells. Developmental Biology. 278(2): 484-495.

Lee, C.S., Friedman, J.R., Fulmer, J.T., and Kaestner, K.H. (2005). The initiation of liver development is dependent of Foxa transcription factors. Nature. 435: 944-947.

Lee, C.S., De Leon, D.D., Kaestner, K.H., Stoffers, D.A. (2006). Regeneration of pancreatic islets after partial pancreatectomy in mice does not involve the reactivation of neurogenin 3. Diabetes. 55: 269-272.

Lab

Rotation Projects

• Identify the roles of Isl-1 during pancreas development and function using mouse models.
• Study the roles of Isl-1 using siRNA technology in insulinoma cell lines.
• Characterize Isl-1 expression in the developing gastrointestinal tract.
• Investigation of Isl-1 function during gastrointestinal development using mouse models.
  

Lab personnel:

Aiping Du, MD. Ph.D.(Research Associate)
Johanna Murray (Research technician)
Matthew Rosazza (Research technician)