Faculty Profile

Fan Wang, Ph.D. (Neurobiology, Columbia University) Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology Neurobiology Duke University Program in Genetics Cell and Molecular Biology Program Developmental Biology Training Program	I. My lab uses mouse trigeminal sensory neurons as a model to study the molecular mechanisms govern the precise neural circuit assembly and information coding in the somatosensory system that mediates sensations of pain, temperature, touch, and body postures. The main aims are to understand how do newly generated naïve sensory neurons gradually acquire both position and sensory modality identities during development, and how do distinct classes of touch sensory neurons form specific circuits inside the brain that encode the nature of tactile stimuli. Specification of Trigeminal Sensory Neuron Identities. Using mouse as a model system, we have begun to uncover the molecular differences among trigeminal neurons at different developmental stages. We have identified certain peripheral target-derived signals that can control gene expression profiles in trigeminal neurons. We have evidence indicating that retrograde regulation of sensory neurons differentiation by target-derived signals is one of the key principles governing the development and maturation of somatic sensory neurons. Currently, we are actively investigating the exact molecular programs that specify both the positional and modality identities of trigeminal neurons. Functional assembly of the tactile neural circuit by trigeminal neurons. Rodents use whiskers as their tactile sensors. Each individual whisker is innervated by several different subtypes of mechanosensory neurons that each can sense subtle differences in amplitude, velocity, orientation, duration etc of a touch stimulus. All neurons representing the same whisker project together to form a synaptic structure in the brain termed barrelette. We are in the process of dissecting the micro-circuit within each barrelettes in order to understand the integration and coding of touch information. II. My lab also works on the role of the bulk membrane trafficking process during neuronal morphogenesis and neurodegeneration. We are combining live imaging, EM and genetic dissections to study how membranes are added and recycled during axonal and dendritic growth.

Email F.Wang@cellbio.duke.edu Nanaline Duke Bldg., Box 3709 Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC 27710 Telephone: 919-684-3682 Visit the Wang Lab Website

Selected Publications
Hodge, L.K., Klassen, M., Han, B.X., Yiu, G., Hurrell, J., Howell, A., Rousseau, G., Lemaigre, F., Tessier-Lavigne, M., and Wang, F. (2007) Retrograde BMP signaling regulates trigeminal sensory neuron identities and the formation of precise face maps. Neuron 55: 572-586. -PDF-

Hasegawa, H., Abbott, S., Han, B.X., Qi., Y., and Wang, F. (2007) Analyzing somatosensory axon projections with the sensory neuron-specific Advillin gene. J Neurosci: 27(52): 14404-14. -PDF-

Zhou, X, Babu, J.R., da Silva, S., Shu, Q., Tani, T., Oliver, T., Tomoda, T., Graef, I.A., Wooten, M.W., and Wang, F. (2007). Ulk1/2-mediated endocytic process regulates filopodia extension and branching of sensory axons. PNAS 104 (14): 5842-5847.

Wang, F. (2004). Steering Growth Cones with a CaMKII/Calcineurin Switch. Neuron 43 (6): 760-762.

Graef, I.A.*, Wang, F.*, Charron, F., Chen L., Tessier-Lavigne, M., and Crabtree, G.R. (2003) Neurotrophins and netrins require calcineurin/NFAT signaling to stimulate outgrowth of embryonic axons. Cell 113: 657-70. (* These authors contributed equally.)

Lin, D,M., Wang, F., Lowe, G., Gold, G.H., Axel, R., Ngai, J., and Brunet, L.. (2000) Formation of precise connections in the olfactory bulb occurs in the absence of odorant-evoked neuronal activity. Neuron 26: 69-80.

Bulfone, A., Wang, F., Hevnor, R., Anderson, S., Cutforth, T., Chen, S., Meneses, J., Pedersen, R., Axel, R. and Rubenstein, J.L.R. (1998) An olfactory sensory map develops in the absence of normal projection neurons or GABAergic interneurons. Neuron 21: 1273-1282.

Wang, F., Nemes, A., Mendelsohn, M. and Axel, R. (1998) Odorant receptors govern the formation of a precise topographic map. Cell 93: 47-60.

Mombaerts, P., Wang, F., Dulac, C., Chao, S.K., Nemes, A., Mendelsohn, M., Edmondson, J. and Axel, R. (1996) Visualizing an olfactory sensory map. Cell 87: 675-686.

Mombaerts, P. Wang, F., Dulac, C., Vassar, R., Chao, S.K., Nemes, A., Mendelsohn, M., Edmondson, J. and Axel, R. (1996) The molecular biology of olfactory perception. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Qualitative Biology, V LXI: 135-145.

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