Javascript must be enabled to use this form.

View Profile	Home Browse Faculty Facility Research Consortia Training Grants Courses Search Support About rSp Help and FAQ's Contact Us	GCC Home
Faculty Profile Last Modified Time: 12:18:07 PM Wed, 18 Jul 2018   Contact Information Zheng Zhou Associated Profiles  Professor, Biochemistry, Baylor College of Medicine   Mail Box: BCM125, BCM-MD Anderson Hall, Room No.: BCMA-322B    zhengz@bcm.edu     (713) 798-6489    Web Link    Molecular Genetic Studies of Clearance of Apoptotic Cells in C. Elegans    Associated Profiles Professional Preparation Research and Expertise Appointments  Professional Preparation  Degree Major Institution Year  PhD   Baylor College of Medicine 1994  BS   Fu-Dan University 1988  Research and Expertise Research Interests   During an animal's development and adulthood many unwanted cells are eliminated by a process called "programmed cell death" or "apoptosis". Such cells undergo specific changes in appearance, die, and are quickly engulfed and digested by phagocytes, or engulfing cells. In addition, cells die due to injury, disease, or other pathological states, the "necrotic cells", are also cleared efficiently within animal bodies. The clearance of dying cells is important because dying cells may contain material that, if released, could harm neighboring cells. Inefficient removal of dying cells or incorrect removal of cells that should normally live both result in human diseases. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that control each step in the process of dying cell clearance has important meanings to biological and medical researches. However, despite the recent burst in the study of cell death mechanisms, the mechanisms behind the removal of dying cells remain largely unknown. My laboratory is interested in the molecular mechanisms that control the recognition, engulfment, and degradation of apoptotic cells. We use the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism to identify genes and delineate the pathways controlling these events, with the belief that what we learn from C. elegans will be translated to humans. Previously, I identified CED-1, a transmembrane C. elegans protein as a phagocytic receptor that is specifically expressed in engulfing cells, recognizes apoptotic cells, and initiates their engulfment. In my own laboratory, we have isolated a large number of C. elegans mutants defective in the removal of apoptotic cells. A combination of both forward and reverse genetic approaches have led us to identify proteins acting upstream or downstream of CED-1 in the signaling pathway, which provide conceptual advances in understanding how apoptotic cells are recognized, internalized, and degraded. Particularly, our research has focused on the following three critical steps that lead to the clearance of dying cells.  Publications/Creative Works Click here to search for this faculty member's publications on PubMed.  Appointments Title Department / School Institution Professor Biochemistry Baylor College of Medicine

powering - The Partnership
Important Disclaimer: The responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained on these pages lies with the authors and user providing such information.