Penn Vet holds a leadership in the field of stem cell and germ cell biology spearheaded by the pioneering work of Dr. Ralph Brinster.
Currently, Penn vet scientists investigate stem cell models ranging from germline stem cells in the mammalian testis and embryo-derived stem cells from animals and humans to somatic stem cells derived from bone marrow, epithelial cells and adipose tissue.
Research in Dr. Ralph Brinster’s laboratory focuses on the biology of the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC), which is responsible for the continuity of spermatogenesis in the adult male. A spermatogonial transplantation technique has been developed in rodents that provides a functional assay of stem cell activity, thereby enabling for the first time an analysis of this unique and valuable stem cell population.
Development of culture and gene modification methods for rodent SSCs will lay the foundation for similar approaches in larger animals, particularly farm animals. Since the SSC is the only adult stem cell for which there exists a long-term in vitro culture system and a quantitative functional transplantation assay, it provides a powerful model to understand stem cell function in all adult stem cell systems.
Work in Dr. Jeremy Wang’s laboratory focuses on the study of meiosis in mice and humans. Meiosis, a cell division unique to germ cells, allows the reciprocal exchange of genetic material between paternal and maternal genomes. Meiosis generates the genetic diversity necessary for evolution of species. Abnormality in meiosis is a leading cause of birth defects and infertility. His laboratory’s research interests include molecular genetics of chromosomal synapsis, DNA double-strand break repair, homologous recombination, genetic causes of male infertility in humans, and piRNA biogenesis.
Dr. Christopher Lengner’s lab is broadly interested in the mechanisms by which both somatic and embryonic stem cells acquire and maintain developmental potency. His laboratory is also exploring how deregulation of these mechanisms can contribute to oncogenic transformation and tumorigenesis, and how we can learn to manipulate these mechanisms for application in disease modeling and regenerative medicine
Dr. Montserrat Anguera’s lab studies the roles of long non-coding RNAs in epigenetic gene regulation in human and mouse pluripotent stem cells. Human female pluripotent stem cells can vary widely in quality -- more so than male cells or mouse cells of either sex -- and one of her goals is to determine the cause of this epigenetic variability and its relationship to female-specific cancers.
A precise understanding of the mechanism for germ cell development bears significant implications not only in biology in general, but also in a broad range of human diseases.
Although many studies have been conducted on germline development and in-vitro gametogenesis in mice, the extrapolation of such findings to humans is not straightforward due to significant differences in the developmental time frame and the divergence of signaling networks that govern germ cell development between these species. Dr. Kotaro Sasaki's lab employs in vitro models of human gametogenesis using human induced pluripotent stem cells along with description of the developmental trajectory of germ cells. Learn more about the Sasaki Lab's research...
In the laboratory of Dr. Rose Nolen-Walston, the regenerative potential of pulmonary tissue is being studied, particularly function and gene expression of putative pulmonary stem cells (BASCs) in a mouse model for compensatory lung growth.
Dr. Michael Atchison’s laboratory studies the function of the transcription factor, Oct4, to maintain pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. The laboratory showed that post-translational modification of Oct4 plays a significant regulatory role in early embryonic development and disease. Studies exploring how Oct4 binds to specific gene promoters in association with Polycomb group proteins to either activate or repress transcription will likely reveal mechanisms that control early embryonic development, and why Oct4 is necessary for pluripotency. In other studies, the Atchison laboratory is exploring the role of transcription factor, YY1, in hematopoietic stem cell biology. This work may reveal functions of YY1 that could be exploited for either augmentation of bone marrow transplant therapies, or for inhibition of YY1 function in hematopoietic malignancies.
Dr. Susan Volk studies the regulation of proliferation and differentiation in adult, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Since MSC are easily purified from marrow and can develop into multiple cell types, they are actively pursued as a cell therapeutic not only for bone but for brain, heart, skin, and cartilage. However, many aspects need to be addressed before efficient therapeutic protocols can be developed. Current work investigates interaction between MSC and their microenvironment considering a variety of local regulatory mechanisms as well as delivery of MSC to injured tissues in hydrogels.
Dr. Kyla Ortved's laboratory studies the potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular vesicles for the treatment of osteoarthritis, cartilage damage and tendon/ligament injury. Dr. Ortved and her lab seek to optimize culture environments and utilize gene transfer to maximize the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles. Targeted genetic modification of autologous stem cells provides a promising platform for the regeneration of diseased musculoskeletal tissues in horses and then ultimately in humans.
A thorough understanding of stem cell biology from adult and embryonic sources is essential for the realization of their therapeutic potential. It is expected that novel stem cell based therapies can be applied to animal patients long before they can be used in human patients, and without the ethical debate surrounding the use of human stem cells. An advantage of Penn Vet is access to animal models of naturally occurring diseases that are targets for stem cell therapies.