SKELETAL BIOLOGY

Mission The goals of this group are to characterize the biochemical nature of cell types that form hard tissue and to elucidate the processes by which they form their specialized extracellular matrices.

Toward these aims, bone marrow stromal fibroblasts (a heterogeneous progenitor cell population that gives rise to bone, cartilage, fat and hematopoiesis supportive stroma), and more mature trabecular bone cells are studied to identify molecules (either cell surface associated or secreted) that distinguish them from other connective tissue cells, and to determine the factors that regulate proliferation, differentiation and matrix formation.Similar studies are also performed using cell populations derived from patients with either genetic or acquired diseases in order to characterize the sequelae of known genetic defects and to determine the nature of abnormal bone cell metabolism. Staff Pamela Gehron Robey, Ph.D., Chief EunAh Lee,Ph.D., Research Fellow. Kenn Holmbeck (Staff Scientist) Susan Yamada (Biologist) Kali Chrysovergis (Biologist) Joanne Shi (Biologist) Ludmila Szabova (Post Doctoral Fellow). Mi-Young Son (Post Doctoral Fellow) Marrow Cell Culture Core Sergei A. Kuznetsov, Ph.D, Staff Scientist Natasha Cherman Ph.D., Biological Aide Salivary Stem Cell Initiative Pamela Gehron Robey, Ph.D., Chief Bruce Baum Ph.D Staff Scientist Junji Mineshiba DDS, Ph.D, Research Fellow. Sergei A. Kuznetsov, Ph.D, Staff Scientist Simon Tran, Ph.D Staff Scientist Matrix Metallo-proteinase Unite Marian Young, Ph.D.