Name Xiuqian Mu
Credentials  MD, PhD
Title and Department Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology
Adjunct Professor, Department of Biochemistry
Phone 716-881-7463
Office Address Center of Excellence, Room B4-319, 701 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, New York, 14203
Email xmu@buffalo.edu

Education and Training

MD, Qingdao Medical College; Qingdao, Shandong, P.R.C.
PhD (Biochemistry), Peking Union Medical College; Beijing, P.R.C.
Postdoctoral (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology), University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX

Research Interest

My lab is interested in how global gene expression advances from one state to the next in time and space during development to promote the specification and differentiation of individual retinal cell types from multi-potent neural progenitor cells. We focus on the gene regulatory network (GRN) involved in the formation of one retinal cell type, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). RGCs are the only projection neurons in the retina and connect the retina to the brain through the optic nerve. Death of RGCs is cause of vision loss in glaucoma and other retinal diseases. Several key transcription factors (TFs) functioning at different stages of RGC development have been identified; Math5 is essential for RGC fate specification, whereas Pou4f2 and Isl1 are required for their differentiation. Our previous study has established a tentative model for the RGC GRN, in which these TFs occupy key node positions. Current projects in the lab are aimed at further understanding how these transcription factors specifically regulate their target genes and how they interact with each other. Considerable efforts are also placed on identifying novel key regulators in the GRN. Our studies employ a combined approach of genetics, genomics and bioinformatics. Our eventual goal is to use the knowledge learned from our studies to develop new therapies for various retinal diseases.

Selected Publications

1. Fu, X., Kiyama, K., Li, R., Russell, M., Klein, W.H., and Mu, X. (2009) Epitope-tagging Math5 and Pou4f2: new tools to study retinal ganglion cell development in the mouse. Dev Dyn, 238:2309-2317.
2. Mu, X. and Klein, W.H. (2008). Gene regulatory networks and the development of retinal ganglion cells. In: Eye, Retina, and Visual System of the Mouse (eds. L. M. Chalupa and R. W. Williams), pp. 321-332. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
3. Mu, X.*, Fu, X., Beremand, P.D., Thomas, T.L., and Klein, W.H.* (2008) Gene regulation logic in retinal ganglion cell development: Isl1 defines a critical branch distinct from but overlapping with Pou4f2. PNAS, 105:6942-6947. (* co-corresponding authors).
4. Fu, X., Sun, H., Klein, W.H., and Mu, X.* (2006) -catenin is essential for lamination but not neurogenesis in mouse retinal development. Dev Biol, 299:424-437. (* corresponding author).
5. Mu, X., Fu, X., Sun, H., Beremand, P.D., Thomas, T.L., and Klein, W.H. (2005) A gene network downstream of transcription factor Math5 regulates retinal progenitor cell competence and ganglion cell fate. Dev Biol, 280:467-481.
6. Mu, X., Fu, X., Sun, H., Liang, S., Maeda, H., Frishman, L, and Klein, W.H. (2005) Ganglion cells are required for normal progenitor cell proliferation but not cell-fate determination or patterning in the developing mouse retina. Curr Biol, 15:525-530.
7. Mu, X., Beremand, P.D., Zhao, S., Pershad, R., Scarpa, A., Sun, H., Liang, S., Thomas, T.L., and Klein, W.H. (2004) Discrete gene sets depend on POU domain transcription factor Brn3b/Brn-3.2/POU4f2 for their expression in the mouse embryonic retina. Development, 131:1197-1210.
8. Mu, X.* and Klein, W.H. (2004) A genetic regulatory hierarchy for retinal ganglion cell specification and differentiation. Semin Cell Dev Biol, 15:115-123. (*corresponding author).
9. Klein, W. H. and Mu, X. (2004) Developmental biology of the retina (Editorial) Semin Cell Dev Biol, 15:51.
10. Mu, X., Zhao, S., Pershad, R., Hsieh, T.-F., Scarpa, A., Wang, S.W., White, H.R., Beremand, P.D., Thomas, T.L., Gan, L., and Klein, W.H. (2001) Gene expression in the developing mouse retina by EST sequencing and microarray analysis. Nucleic Acids Res, 29:4983-4993.

Teaching
Professional Associations AAAS, ARVO

Awards