Deborah C. Rubin, M.D.

RESEARCH INTEREST

Our research interests center on examining molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation during fetal and postnatal gut ontogeny and during intestinal adaptation. Epimorphin is a mesenchymal protein that is regulated during gut ontogeny. It has been postulated to play a role in skin and lung morphogenesis. We are using cell transfection, transgenic mouse techniques to examine its function in the gut. We have recently generated an epimorphin knockout mouse and are in the process of characterizing its phenotype. We are also investigating molecular mechanisms of intestinal adaptation after loss of small bowel surface area. Using an intestinal resection model and subtractive hybridization techniques, a cohort of genes were identified that are highly regulated during adaptation. One of these is the PC4/TIS7 immediate early gene, which we have postulated to play a role in the villus-associated epithelial response to small bowel resection. Antisense transfection and gene knockout techniques are being employed to further assess its function in the gut.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS