Mei Zhong, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in Cell BiologyCards
About
Research
Publications
2023
Generation of ventralized human thalamic organoids with thalamic reticular nucleus
Kiral F, Cakir B, Tanaka Y, Kim J, Yang W, Wehbe F, Kang Y, Zhong M, Sancer G, Lee S, Xiang Y, Park I. Generation of ventralized human thalamic organoids with thalamic reticular nucleus. Cell Stem Cell 2023, 30: 677-688.e5. PMID: 37019105, PMCID: PMC10329908, DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.03.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman embryonic stem cellsSingle-cell RNA sequencingReceptor tyrosine protein kinaseTyrosine protein kinaseEmbryonic stem cellsDisease-associated genesLineage developmentRNA sequencingHuman brain developmentOrganoid systemsStem cellsHuman brain organoidsNeuronal functionBrain organoidsOrganoidsBrain organoid systemsDistinct nucleiBrain developmentThalamic developmentPTCHD1NucleusKinaseGenesSequencing
2022
Expression of the transcription factor PU.1 induces the generation of microglia-like cells in human cortical organoids
Cakir B, Tanaka Y, Kiral FR, Xiang Y, Dagliyan O, Wang J, Lee M, Greaney AM, Yang WS, duBoulay C, Kural MH, Patterson B, Zhong M, Kim J, Bai Y, Min W, Niklason LE, Patra P, Park IH. Expression of the transcription factor PU.1 induces the generation of microglia-like cells in human cortical organoids. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 430. PMID: 35058453, PMCID: PMC8776770, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28043-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman embryonic stem cellsHuman cortical organoidsTranscription factor PUSingle-cell RNA sequencingMicroglia-like cellsSingle-cell transcriptomicsEmbryonic stem cellsDisease stage IIIRole of microgliaAD-associated genesExpression of genesCortical organoidsNeurodegenerative disordersRNA sequencingMolecular damageIntact complementStem cellsDysfunction of microgliaFunctional microgliaReduced expressionGenesCell clustersExpressionChemokine systemHuman microglia
2021
Genome-wide mapping of Piwi association with specific loci in Drosophila ovaries
Liu N, Neuenkirchen N, Zhong M, Lin H. Genome-wide mapping of Piwi association with specific loci in Drosophila ovaries. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 2021, 11: jkaa059. PMID: 33609367, PMCID: PMC8022938, DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkaa059.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPIWI-interacting RNAsProtein-coding genesDrosophila ovaryGermline stem cell maintenanceRole of piRNAsTermination sitesGenome-wide mappingGenomic binding profileTranscriptional termination sitesSpecific genomic sitesStem cell maintenanceRNA pathwaysTransposon repressionTranscriptional startEuchromatic regionsGene regulationEpigenetic regulationGenomic sitesCell maintenancePiwiSpecific lociMethylation signalsDiverse mechanismsTarget siteBinding sitesThe Essential Function of SETDB1 in Homologous Chromosome Pairing and Synapsis during Meiosis
Cheng EC, Hsieh CL, Liu N, Wang J, Zhong M, Chen T, Li E, Lin H. The Essential Function of SETDB1 in Homologous Chromosome Pairing and Synapsis during Meiosis. Cell Reports 2021, 34: 108575. PMID: 33406415, PMCID: PMC8513770, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108575.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEarly meiosisEarly meiotic prophase IFunction of SETDB1Homologous chromosome pairingMeiotic prophase IHistone-lysine N-methyltransferaseMeiotic silencingSurvival of spermatocytesGermline developmentBouquet formationHomologous chromosomesLineage genesChromosome pairingBivalent formationPericentromeric regionProphase IApoptosis of spermatocytesSETDB1Essential functionsHomologous bivalentsH3K9me3Meiotic arrestMeiosisSpermatocytesN-methyltransferase
2020
Dysregulation of BRD4 Function Underlies the Functional Abnormalities of MeCP2 Mutant Neurons
Xiang Y, Tanaka Y, Patterson B, Hwang SM, Hysolli E, Cakir B, Kim KY, Wang W, Kang YJ, Clement EM, Zhong M, Lee SH, Cho YS, Patra P, Sullivan GJ, Weissman SM, Park IH. Dysregulation of BRD4 Function Underlies the Functional Abnormalities of MeCP2 Mutant Neurons. Molecular Cell 2020, 79: 84-98.e9. PMID: 32526163, PMCID: PMC7375197, DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.05.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMECP2 mutant neuronsEnhancer-promoter interactionsRett syndromeRTT-like phenotypesChromatin bindingMeCP2 functionMethyl-CpGAbnormal transcriptionRTT etiologyMutant neuronsBET inhibitorsPotential therapeutic opportunitiesMECP2 mutationsProtein 2Human brain organoidsFunctional phenotypeJQ1BRD4Therapeutic opportunitiesBrain organoidsFunction underliesMutationsPhenotypeHuman brain culturesCritical driverPublisher Correction: MLL-AF9 initiates transformation from fast-proliferating myeloid progenitors
Chen X, Burkhardt DB, Hartman AA, Hu X, Eastman AE, Sun C, Wang X, Zhong M, Krishnaswamy S, Guo S. Publisher Correction: MLL-AF9 initiates transformation from fast-proliferating myeloid progenitors. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 681. PMID: 31996673, PMCID: PMC6989496, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14428-4.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2019
MLL-AF9 initiates transformation from fast-proliferating myeloid progenitors
Chen X, Burkhardt DB, Hartman AA, Hu X, Eastman AE, Sun C, Wang X, Zhong M, Krishnaswamy S, Guo S. MLL-AF9 initiates transformation from fast-proliferating myeloid progenitors. Nature Communications 2019, 10: 5767. PMID: 31852898, PMCID: PMC6920141, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13666-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnimalsCell CycleCell DifferentiationCell ProliferationCell Transformation, NeoplasticCyclin D1Disease Models, AnimalFemaleGene Expression Regulation, LeukemicGene Knock-In TechniquesHumansKaplan-Meier EstimateLeukemia, Myeloid, AcuteMaleMice, TransgenicMyeloid Progenitor CellsMyeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia ProteinOncogene Proteins, FusionPiperazinesPrimary Cell CulturePrognosisPyridinesEngineering of human brain organoids with a functional vascular-like system
Cakir B, Xiang Y, Tanaka Y, Kural MH, Parent M, Kang YJ, Chapeton K, Patterson B, Yuan Y, He CS, Raredon MSB, Dengelegi J, Kim KY, Sun P, Zhong M, Lee S, Patra P, Hyder F, Niklason LE, Lee SH, Yoon YS, Park IH. Engineering of human brain organoids with a functional vascular-like system. Nature Methods 2019, 16: 1169-1175. PMID: 31591580, PMCID: PMC6918722, DOI: 10.1038/s41592-019-0586-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman cortical organoidsBlood-brain barrier characteristicsTrans-endothelial electrical resistanceVasculature-like structuresHuman brain organoidsHuman brain developmentCortical organoidsFunctional maturationPrenatal brainBrain diseasesBrain developmentHuman embryonic stem cellsBlood vesselsBrain organoidsTight junctionsDiseaseStem cellsOrganoidsVariant 2Nutrient transportersNutrient deliveryCellsEndotheliumMicrovasculatureMKL1-actin pathway restricts chromatin accessibility and prevents mature pluripotency activation
Hu X, Liu ZZ, Chen X, Schulz VP, Kumar A, Hartman AA, Weinstein J, Johnston JF, Rodriguez EC, Eastman AE, Cheng J, Min L, Zhong M, Carroll C, Gallagher PG, Lu J, Schwartz M, King MC, Krause DS, Guo S. MKL1-actin pathway restricts chromatin accessibility and prevents mature pluripotency activation. Nature Communications 2019, 10: 1695. PMID: 30979898, PMCID: PMC6461646, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09636-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCell fate reprogrammingChromatin accessibilityActin cytoskeletonSomatic cell reprogrammingPluripotency transcription factorsGlobal chromatin accessibilityGenomic accessibilityCytoskeleton (LINC) complexCell reprogrammingCytoskeletal genesTranscription factorsReprogrammingPluripotencyChromatinCytoskeletonMKL1Unappreciated aspectPathwayNuclear volumeNucleoskeletonSUN2CellsActivationGenesExpressionhESC-Derived Thalamic Organoids Form Reciprocal Projections When Fused with Cortical Organoids
Xiang Y, Tanaka Y, Cakir B, Patterson B, Kim KY, Sun P, Kang YJ, Zhong M, Liu X, Patra P, Lee SH, Weissman SM, Park IH. hESC-Derived Thalamic Organoids Form Reciprocal Projections When Fused with Cortical Organoids. Cell Stem Cell 2019, 24: 487-497.e7. PMID: 30799279, PMCID: PMC6853597, DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2018.12.015.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsReciprocal projectionsThree-dimensional organoid modelsForebrain disorderHuman brain developmentCortical organoidsHuman thalamusPeripheral tissuesThalamusRelated disordersThalamic developmentSingle-cell RNA sequencingBrain developmentHuman embryonic stem cellsCircuit organizationCortexOrganoid modelsRegion-specific organoidsTelencephalic fateStem cellsOrganoid techniquesOrganoidsDisordersRNA sequencingRelay hubDisease