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Kaelyn Sumigray, PhD

Assistant Professor of Genetics

Contact Information

Kaelyn Sumigray, PhD

Lab Location

Office Location

Sumigray lab

Research Summary

Our goal as a lab is to understand the factors that affect stem cell niche morphogenesis and function. To this end, we study the formation of the mammalian intestinal stem cell niche, the crypt. Through confocal microscopy, transcriptome analysis, and 3D organoid culture, we are uncovering novel contributors to crypt morphogenesis and the impacts they have on tissue function.

Current projects include regulation of cell-extracellular matrix attachments, changes in the extracellular matrix during crypt formation, roles for planar cell polarity in crypt morphogenesis, as well as recruitment and involvement of other cell types that instruct crypt morphogenesis. Details can be found on the lab website.

Research Interests

Cell Adhesion; Intestinal Polyps; Intestine, Small; Morphogenesis; Stem Cells; Cell Polarity; Organogenesis; Cell Shape; Stem Cell Niche

Selected Publications

  • Dissecting cell adhesion cross-talk with micropatterns.Sumigray KD, Lechler T. Dissecting cell adhesion cross-talk with micropatterns. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2010, 107: 13199-200. PMID: 20639470, PMCID: PMC2922164, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1008253107.
  • Lis1 is essential for cortical microtubule organization and desmosome stability in the epidermis.Sumigray KD, Chen H, Lechler T. Lis1 is essential for cortical microtubule organization and desmosome stability in the epidermis. The Journal Of Cell Biology 2011, 194: 631-42. PMID: 21844209, PMCID: PMC3160577, DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201104009.
  • Desmoplakin controls microvilli length but not cell adhesion or keratin organization in the intestinal epithelium.Sumigray KD, Lechler T. Desmoplakin controls microvilli length but not cell adhesion or keratin organization in the intestinal epithelium. Molecular Biology Of The Cell 2012, 23: 792-9. PMID: 22238362, PMCID: PMC3290639, DOI: 10.1091/mbc.E11-11-0923.
  • Cell shape by coercion: Par1 and aPKC put the squeeze on junctions.Sumigray KD, Peifer M. Cell shape by coercion: Par1 and aPKC put the squeeze on junctions. Developmental Cell 2012, 22: 907-8. PMID: 22595665, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2012.04.016.
  • Control of cortical microtubule organization and desmosome stability by centrosomal proteins.Sumigray KD, Lechler T. Control of cortical microtubule organization and desmosome stability by centrosomal proteins. Bioarchitecture 2011, 1: 221-224. PMID: 22754612, PMCID: PMC3384573, DOI: 10.4161/bioa.18403.
  • Noncentrosomal microtubules and type II myosins potentiate epidermal cell adhesion and barrier formation.Sumigray KD, Foote HP, Lechler T. Noncentrosomal microtubules and type II myosins potentiate epidermal cell adhesion and barrier formation. The Journal Of Cell Biology 2012, 199: 513-25. PMID: 23091070, PMCID: PMC3483132, DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201206143.
  • Rap1 and Canoe/afadin are essential for establishment of apical-basal polarity in the Drosophila embryo.Choi W, Harris NJ, Sumigray KD, Peifer M. Rap1 and Canoe/afadin are essential for establishment of apical-basal polarity in the Drosophila embryo. Molecular Biology Of The Cell 2013, 24: 945-63. PMID: 23363604, PMCID: PMC3608504, DOI: 10.1091/mbc.E12-10-0736.
  • FRAP analysis reveals stabilization of adhesion structures in the epidermis compared to cultured keratinocytes.Foote HP, Sumigray KD, Lechler T. FRAP analysis reveals stabilization of adhesion structures in the epidermis compared to cultured keratinocytes. PloS One 2013, 8: e71491. PMID: 23977053, PMCID: PMC3747223, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071491.
  • Cell-cell adhesions and cell contractility are upregulated upon desmosome disruption.Sumigray K, Zhou K, Lechler T. Cell-cell adhesions and cell contractility are upregulated upon desmosome disruption. PloS One 2014, 9: e101824. PMID: 25006807, PMCID: PMC4090201, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101824.
  • Epigenetic control of intestinal barrier function and inflammation in zebrafish.Marjoram L, Alvers A, Deerhake ME, Bagwell J, Mankiewicz J, Cocchiaro JL, Beerman RW, Willer J, Sumigray KD, Katsanis N, Tobin DM, Rawls JF, Goll MG, Bagnat M. Epigenetic control of intestinal barrier function and inflammation in zebrafish. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2015, 112: 2770-5. PMID: 25730872, PMCID: PMC4352795, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1424089112.
  • Cell adhesion in epidermal development and barrier formation.Sumigray KD, Lechler T. Cell adhesion in epidermal development and barrier formation. Current Topics In Developmental Biology 2015, 112: 383-414. PMID: 25733147, PMCID: PMC4737682, DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2014.11.027.
  • The Arp2/3 complex has essential roles in vesicle trafficking and transcytosis in the mammalian small intestine.Zhou K, Sumigray KD, Lechler T. The Arp2/3 complex has essential roles in vesicle trafficking and transcytosis in the mammalian small intestine. Molecular Biology Of The Cell 2015, 26: 1995-2004. PMID: 25833710, PMCID: PMC4472011, DOI: 10.1091/mbc.E14-10-1481.
  • Abelson kinase acts as a robust, multifunctional scaffold in regulating embryonic morphogenesis.Rogers EM, Spracklen AJ, Bilancia CG, Sumigray KD, Allred SC, Nowotarski SH, Schaefer KN, Ritchie BJ, Peifer M. Abelson kinase acts as a robust, multifunctional scaffold in regulating embryonic morphogenesis. Molecular Biology Of The Cell 2016, 27: 2613-31. PMID: 27385341, PMCID: PMC4985262, DOI: 10.1091/mbc.E16-05-0292.
  • Rap1 acts via multiple mechanisms to position Canoe and adherens junctions and mediate apical-basal polarity establishment.Bonello TT, Perez-Vale KZ, Sumigray KD, Peifer M. Rap1 acts via multiple mechanisms to position Canoe and adherens junctions and mediate apical-basal polarity establishment. Development (Cambridge, England) 2018, 145 PMID: 29361565, PMCID: PMC5825837, DOI: 10.1242/dev.157941.
  • Spine Patterning Is Guided by Segmentation of the Notochord Sheath.Wopat S, Bagwell J, Sumigray KD, Dickson AL, Huitema LFA, Poss KD, Schulte-Merker S, Bagnat M. Spine Patterning Is Guided by Segmentation of the Notochord Sheath. Cell Reports 2018, 22: 2026-2038. PMID: 29466731, PMCID: PMC5860813, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.01.084.
  • Morphogenesis and Compartmentalization of the Intestinal Crypt.Sumigray KD, Terwilliger M, Lechler T. Morphogenesis and Compartmentalization of the Intestinal Crypt. Developmental Cell 2018, 45: 183-197.e5. PMID: 29689194, PMCID: PMC5987226, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.03.024.
  • Cellular Dynamics Driving Elongation of the Gut.Sumigray K, Lechler T. Cellular Dynamics Driving Elongation of the Gut. Developmental Cell 2018, 46: 127-128. PMID: 30016614, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.06.027.
  • Lysosome-Rich Enterocytes Mediate Protein Absorption in the Vertebrate Gut.Park J, Levic DS, Sumigray KD, Bagwell J, Eroglu O, Block CL, Eroglu C, Barry R, Lickwar CR, Rawls JF, Watts SA, Lechler T, Bagnat M. Lysosome-Rich Enterocytes Mediate Protein Absorption in the Vertebrate Gut. Developmental Cell 2019, 51: 7-20.e6. PMID: 31474562, PMCID: PMC6783362, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.08.001.
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