Flaum Eye Institute

Lin Gan, Ph.D.

Professor of Ophthalmology
Neurobiology and Anatomy
Center for Visual Science
Center for Neural Development and Disease

Research Insterests

The Genetics of Neuronal Survival
The mammalian retina and inner ear are two of the most common places of genetic diseases that cause blindness and deafness due to the degeneration of retinal and inner ear neurons. In order to understand the disease processes, it is very crucial to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms regulating the normal development and maintenance of these neurons at the molecular level. Our research is centered on identifying genes required for neuron differentiation and survival, investigating the genetic pathways involved in these processes, and developing therapies for blindness and deafness via gene therapy and stem cell replacement. We are currently investigating the roles of three classes of transcription factors (TFs), the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), POU-homeodomain (POU-HD), and LIM-domain TFs, in the formation and maintenance of mouse retina and inner ear. Using homologous recombination in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells to mutate these TF genes, we have show that these TFs function in a cascade to regulate the differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells into specific types of neurons and to regulate the maturation and survival of post-differentiation neurons.

Gan Lab Links Home Research Team Publications, Presentations & Patents Honors & Grants

Selected Publications

Wang, S.W., Kim, B.S., Ding, K., Wang, H., Sun, D., Johnson, R.L, Klein, W.H. and Gan, L. (2001). Requirement of math5 in the development of retinal ganglion cells. Genes & Development 15, 24-

Yang, Z., Ding, K., Pan, L., Deng, M., and Gan, L. (2003). Math5 determines the competence state of retinal ganglion cell progenitors. Developmental. Biology 264, 240-254.

Pan, L., Yang, Z., Feng, L., and Gan, L. (2005). Functional Equivalence of Brn-3 POU-Domain Transcription Factors in Mouse Retinal Neurogenesis. Development 132, 703-712. (cover photograph)

Feng, L., Xie, X., Joshi, P., Yang, Z., Shibasaki, K., Chow, R., and Gan, L. (2006). Requirement for Bhlhb5 in the specification of amacrine and cone bipolar subtypes in mouse retina. Development 4815-4825. doi:10.1242/dev.02664 (cover photograph)

Deng, M., Pan, L., Xie, X., and Gan, L. (2006). Differential Expression of LIM Domain-Only (LMO) Genes in the Developing Mouse Inner Ear. Gene Expressions Patterns 6, 857-863.

Elshatory, Y., Deng, M., Xie, X., and Gan, L. (2007). Expression of the LIM-homeodomain protein Isl1 in developing mouse retina: evidence for a role in the neuronal differentiation of retinal bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cells. Journal of Comparative Neurology 503, 182–197. DOI 10.1002/cne.21390

Shibasaki, K., Takebayashi, H., Ikenaka, K., Feng, L., and Gan, L. (2007). Expression of the basic helix-loop-factor Olig2 in the developing retina: Olig2 as a new marker for retinal progenitors and late-born cells. Gene Expression Patterns 7, 57-65.

Elshatory, Y., Deng, M., Xie, X., Barlow, R.B., and Gan, L. (2007). Isl1 regulates the differentiation pathway of retinal ON-bipolar cells. Journal of Neuroscience 27:12707-12720; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3951-07.2007

Pan, L., Deng, D., Xie, X., and Gan, L. (2008). ISL1 and BRN3B co-regulate the differentiation of murine retinal ganglion cells. Development 135, 1981-1990. doi: 10.1242/dev.010751. (cover photograph).

Elshatory, Y. and Gan, L. (2008). The LIM-Homeobox Gene Islet-1 Is Required for the Development of Restricted Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons. Journal of Neuroscience. 28:3291–3297. DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5730-07.2008

Joshi, P.S., Molyneaux, B.J., Feng, L., Xie, X., Macklis, J., and Gan, L. (2008). Bhlhb5 Regulates the Post-Mitotic Acquisition of Area Identities in Layers II-V of the Developing Neocortex. Neuron 60, 258–272. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2008.08.006