Linxia Zhang
zhanglin(at)msu.edu
1103 Engineering Building
517.423.2394
Hometown: Zhejiang, China
Undergraduate Institution: Fudan University
Interests: movies, music, reading, some sports
Project title: Effect of cAMP on Mesenchymal Stem
Cell Fate Determination
Project Description: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are
multi-potent adult stem cells which can undergo both self-renewal and
multi-lineage differentiation. As an important intracellular second
messenger, cAMP was shown to induce the differentiation of MSCs into
neural cells. Elevation of cAMP level is usually associated with the
activation of the CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) family
proteins. Among the CREB family protein target genes, some are cell cycle
regulators such as cyclin A and cyclin D1. While activated CREB induces
the transcription of these genes, another member of the CREB family
protein called ICER (inducible cAMP early repressor) inhibits their
transcription by competing with CREB for binding to the CRE motif.
Concerted action of CREB and ICER controls the expression of cyclin A and
cyclin D1 and consequently affecting proliferation and differentiation of
MSCs.
PI: Christina Chan