Funk, Phillip E. - DePaul University - Department of Biological Sciences

研究领域

Funk is interested in the broad topic of cellular decisions, how cells decide what they will become in a multicellular organism. His cell of choice for these studies is the B-lymphocyte, the cell that produces antibody molecules. B-lymphocytes develop continuously throughout the lifetime of an individual and undergo several distinct steps in their development from hemopoietic stem cells to mature B-lymphocytes. The development of B-lymphocytes is also controlled by other cell types, the stromal cells in bone marrow. B-lymphocytes produce antibody molecules that can be involved in autoimmune diseases and B-lymphocytes that grow abnormally can lead to leukemia. So the body must carefully monitor the growth and development of a B-lymphocyte. One of the most important decisions a B-lymphocyte makes is whether to live or die. Greater than 90% of the B-lymphocytes made will be triggered to die because they have developed a defect of some sort. These cell deaths are important, but no one understands how these cells are told that they must die. Funk's laboratory is currently studying the role of a molecule called chick B6 (chB6) that is present on B-lymphocytes in the chicken and appears to cause a rapid form of cell death when it is bound by an antibody. Interestingly, this molecule can also function and be regulated when placed into mouse cells, suggesting that it has a conserved function. The lab is trying to understand how chB6 functions to initiate cell death and if there are similar molecules in mice and humans.

近期论文

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Li, X.W., J.S. Rees, P. Xue, H. Zhang, S.W. Hamaia, B. Sanderson, P.E. Funk, R.W. Farndale, K.S. Lilley, S. Perrett, and A.P. Jackson. 2014. New Insights into the DT40 B Cell Receptor Cluster Using a Proteomic Proximity Labeling Assay. J. Biol. Chem. 289(21):14434 Funk, P.E., J. Pifer, M. Kharas, G. Crisafi, and A. Johnson. 2003. The Avian chB6 Alloantigen Induces Apoptosis in DT40 B Cells. Cell. Immunol. 226:95. Pifer, J., D. Robison, and P.E. Funk. 2002. The Avian chB6 Alloantigen Triggers Apoptosis in a Mammalian Cell Line. J. of Immunol. 169:1372. Funk, P.E., C.A. Tregaskes, J.R. Young, and C.B. Thompson. 1997. The Avian chB6 (Bu-1) Alloantigen Can Mediate Rapid Cell Death. J. Immunol. 159:1695.