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Xiaoyang Wu

Associate Professor
xiaoyangwu@uchicago.edu
Research Summary
Given their pivotal role in tissue homeostasis and regenerative medicine, somatic/adult stem cells are of tremendous interest to both biomedical research field and the public. Skin and its appendages provide a protective barrier that keeps harmful microbes out and essential body fluids in. To perform these functions while confronting the physicochemical traumas from the outside world, human skin must undergo rejuvenation through homeostasis and wound repair. Both processes rely on the essential activities of skin somatic stem cells, including the activation and migration of epidermal stem cells upon wounding, as well as the delicate balance of epidermal stem cell proliferation, self-renewal and differentiation during tissue homeostasis. Understanding the underlying mechanisms is important, because dysregulation of these processes leads to many skin diseases including cancers. Research in my laboratory is dedicated to understanding the dynamics, signaling, and clinical applications of epidermal stem cells. Particularly, we are interested in three fundamental questions in this field: 1) regenerative medicine and tissue engineering with epidermal stem cells; 2) migration and cytoskeletal dynamics of epidermal stem/progenitor cells; and 3) molecular mechanisms controlling stemness and differentiation of epidermal stem cells.
Keywords
Adult Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering, Cell Motility, Regenerative Medicines, stemness and differentiation
Education
  • Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, BS Biochemistry 06/1997
  • Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, MS Molecular Biology 06/2000
  • Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Ph.D. Pharmacology 01/2006
Biosciences Graduate Program Association
Awards & Honors
  • 2007 - AACR-Anna D Barker Fellowship in Basic Cancer Research
  • 2008 - The Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research
  • 2011 - The Cancer Research Foundation Young Investigator Award
  • 2012 - ACS (American Cancer Society) research scholar award
  • 2012 - V scholar award, the V foundation
Publications

  1. Li Y, Zhang J, Yue J, Gou X, Wu X. Epidermal Stem Cells in Skin Wound Healing. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2017 Sep 01; 6(9):297-307. View in: PubMed

  2. Yue J, Gou X, Li Y, Wicksteed B, Wu X. Engineered Epidermal Progenitor Cells Can Correct Diet-Induced Obesity and Diabetes. Cell Stem Cell. 2017 08 03; 21(2):256-263.e4. View in: PubMed

  3. Zhang J, Yue J, Wu X. Spectraplakin family proteins - cytoskeletal crosslinkers with versatile roles. J Cell Sci. 2017 Aug 01; 130(15):2447-2457. View in: PubMed

  4. Lee J, Lee P, Wu X. Molecular and cytoskeletal regulations in epidermal development. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2017 09; 69:18-25. View in: PubMed

  5. Ma Y, Yue J, Zhang Y, Shi C, Odenwald M, Liang WG, Wei Q, Goel A, Gou X, Zhang J, Chen SY, Tang WJ, Turner JR, Yang F, Liang H, Qin H, Wu X. ACF7 regulates inflammatory colitis and intestinal wound response by orchestrating tight junction dynamics. Nat Commun. 2017 05 25; 8:15375. View in: PubMed

  6. Lee P, Jiang S, Li Y, Yue J, Gou X, Chen SY, Zhao Y, Schober M, Tan M, Wu X. Phosphorylation of Pkp1 by RIPK4 regulates epidermal differentiation and skin tumorigenesis. EMBO J. 2017 07 03; 36(13):1963-1980. View in: PubMed

  7. Yue J, Zhang Y, Liang WG, Gou X, Lee P, Liu H, Lyu W, Tang WJ, Chen SY, Yang F, Liang H, Wu X. In vivo epidermal migration requires focal adhesion targeting of ACF7. Nat Commun. 2016 05 24; 7:11692. View in: PubMed

  8. Liu H, Yue J, Huang H, Gou X, Chen SY, Zhao Y, Wu X. Regulation of Focal Adhesion Dynamics and Cell Motility by the EB2 and Hax1 Protein Complex. J Biol Chem. 2015 Dec 25; 290(52):30771-82. View in: PubMed

  9. Liu H, Yue J, Lei Q, Gou X, Chen SY, He YY, Wu X. Ultraviolet B Inhibits Skin Wound Healing by Affecting Focal Adhesion Dynamics. Photochem Photobiol. 2015 Jul-Aug; 91(4):909-16. View in: PubMed

  10. Yue J, Xie M, Gou X, Lee P, Schneider MD, Wu X. Microtubules regulate focal adhesion dynamics through MAP4K4. Dev Cell. 2014 Dec 08; 31(5):572-85. View in: PubMed

  11. Suozzi KC, Wu X, Fuchs E. Spectraplakins: master orchestrators of cytoskeletal dynamics. J Cell Biol. 2012 May 14; 197(4):465-75. View in: PubMed

  12. Wu X, Shen QT, Oristian DS, Lu CP, Zheng Q, Wang HW, Fuchs E. Skin stem cells orchestrate directional migration by regulating microtubule-ACF7 connections through GSK3ß. Cell. 2011 Feb 04; 144(3):341-52. View in: PubMed

  13. Wu X, Kodama A, Fuchs E. ACF7 regulates cytoskeletal-focal adhesion dynamics and migration and has ATPase activity. Cell. 2008 Oct 03; 135(1):137-48. View in: PubMed

  14. Wu X, Yoo Y, Okuhama NN, Tucker PW, Liu G, Guan JL. Regulation of RNA-polymerase-II-dependent transcription by N-WASP and its nuclear-binding partners. Nat Cell Biol. 2006 Jul; 8(7):756-63. View in: PubMed

  15. Wu X, Gan B, Yoo Y, Guan JL. FAK-mediated src phosphorylation of endophilin A2 inhibits endocytosis of MT1-MMP and promotes ECM degradation. Dev Cell. 2005 Aug; 9(2):185-96. View in: PubMed

  16. Wu X, Suetsugu S, Cooper LA, Takenawa T, Guan JL. Focal adhesion kinase regulation of N-WASP subcellular localization and function. J Biol Chem. 2004 Mar 05; 279(10):9565-76. View in: PubMed

  17. Li Y, Kong Q, Yue J, Gou X, Xu M, Wu X. Protection against cocaine-seeking and acute overdose by genome-edited epidermal stem cells. Nature Biomedical Engineering. 2018.::::
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