Marianna Bei, D.M.D., D.M.Sc.
Assistant Professor of Dermatology
Harvard Medical School
Assistant Biologist (Dermatology)
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Cutaneous Biology Research Center
Building 149, Rm 3214, 13th Street
Charlestown MA 02129
Tel: (617) 726-4037
Fax: (617) 726-4453
Email: mbei@partners.org
Molecular genetics of mammalian organogenesis.
Our laboratory focuses on the elucidation of mechanisms controlling mammalian organogenesis. Using mouse as our main experimental system and a variety of classic embryological techniques, combined with targeted mutagenesis and molecular biology, we are studying fundamental mechanisms controlling the formation of epithelial appendages.
Our studies in the past have shown that one class of genes, the Msx genes, controls the formation of epithelial appendages during mouse development. In particular, epistasis and functional analysis, using the genetically engineered Msx1 and/or Msx2 mouse mutants, revealed an Msx-controlled genetic hierarchy in the tooth, where several families of growth and transcription factors are involved. An important finding to emerge from these studies is that early formation of many mammalian organs appears to be controlled by conserved genetic regulatory gene-cascades. The extent, however, to which pathways are common between organs is still preliminary. Moreover, the vast majority of genes involved and the molecular mechanism by which these molecules interact to organize pattern formation are still unknown.
In that context, using recent advances in genomics and high-throughput technologies, we are currently involved in the identification of novel genes and pathways whose function is important to ectoderm-derived organs. Our long-term goal is to understand the basic mechanisms that point towards improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment of ectodermal disorders.
Selected Publications
Click here to access a full PubMed search on Dr. Bei
1. Maas R, Chen YP, Bei M, Woo I, Satokata I. Related Articles, Links
The role of Msx genes in mammalian development.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1996 Jun 8;785:171-81. No abstract available.
PMID: 8702124 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to Article
2. Chen Y, Bei M, Woo I, Satokata I, Maas R. Related Articles,
Links
Msx1 controls inductive signaling in mammalian tooth morphogenesis.
Development. 1996 Oct;122(10):3035-44.
PMID: 8898217 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to Article
3. Maas R, Bei M. Related Articles, Links
The genetic control of early tooth development.
Crit Rev Oral Biol Med. 1997;8(1):4-39. Review.
PMID: 9063623 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to Article
4. Bei M, Maas R. Related Articles, Links
FGFs and BMP4 induce both Msx1-independent and Msx1-dependent signaling pathways
in early tooth development.
Development. 1998 Nov;125(21):4325-33.
PMID: 9753686 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to Article
5. Misiti S, Koibuchi N, Bei M, Farsetti A, Chin WW. Related
Articles, Links
Expression of steroid receptor coactivator-1 mRNA in the developing mouse
embryo: a possible role in olfactory epithelium development.
Endocrinology. 1999 Apr;140(4):1957-60.
PMID: 10098538 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to Article
6. Satokata I, Ma L, Ohshima H, Bei M, Woo I, Nishizawa K,
Maeda T, Takano Y, Uchiyama M, Heaney S, Peters H, Tang Z, Maxson R, Maas
R. Related Articles, Links
Msx2 deficiency in mice causes pleiotropic defects in bone growth and ectodermal
organ formation.
Nat Genet. 2000 Apr;24(4):391-5.
PMID: 10742104 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link
to Article
7. Bei M, Kratochwil K, Maas RL. Related Articles, Links
BMP4 rescues a non-cell-autonomous function of Msx1 in tooth development.
Development. 2000 Nov;127(21):4711-8.
PMID: 11023873 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link
to Article
8. Dassule HR, Lewis P, Bei M, Maas R, McMahon AP. Sonic hedgehog regulates growth and morphogenesis of the tooth.
Development. 2000 Nov;127(22):4775-85.
PMID: 11044393 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link
to Article
9. Jumlongras D, Bei M, Stimson JM, Wang WF, DePalma SR,
Seidman CE, Felbor U, Maas R, Seidman JG, Olsen BR. Related Articles, Links
A nonsense mutation in MSX1 causes Witkop syndrome.
Am J Hum Genet. 2001 Jul;69(1):67-74. Epub 2001 May 16.
PMID: 11369996 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link
to Article
10. Gritli-Linde A, Bei M, Maas R, Zhang XM,
Linde A, McMahon AP.
Shh signaling within the dental epithelium is necessary for cell proliferation,
growth and polarization.
Development. 2002 Dec;129(23):5323-37.
PMID: 12403705 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to Article
11. Aberg T, Wang XP, Kim JH, Yamashiro T, Bei M, Rice R, Ryoo HM, Thesleff I .
Runx2 mediates FGF signaling from epithelium to mesenchyme during tooth morphogenesis
.
Dev Biol. 2004 June 1; 270 (1):76-93.
12. Bei M, Stowell S, Maas R. Msx2 controls ameloblast terminal differentiation. Dev Dyn. 2004 Dec; 231 (4):758-65.
13. Gupta V and Bei M. Modification of Msx1 by SUMO-1. Biochemical Biophysical Research Communications, 2006 (in press).