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Mike German, M.D.

Professor
University of California, San Francisco
Diabetes Center

35 Medical Center Way, RMB 1025, box0669
San Francisco, CA 94143-0669
USA

p. 415-476-9262
f. 415-731-3612
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Mike German, M.D. - Investigator Profile

The central focus of my laboratory is the pancreatic beta-cell, the cell that makes insulin. We are interested in the cascade of gene activation underlying the development of the beta-cells from less differentiated cells during embryogenesis and in how these genes function in the mature beta-cell. We are also interested in where these processes break down in diabetes, and in how to translate our knowledge of the beta-cell into novel strategies for curing diabetes.

Scientific Interests/Keywords

Pancreatic Beta Cell

Professor, German Lab

Click to view the profile for Muluye Liku, Ph.D..
Click to view the profile for Juehu Wang.
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Click to view the profile for David Scheel, MS.
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Publication Citation
20581837 Kim H, Toyofuku Y, Lynn FC, Chak E, Uchida T, Mizukami H, Fujitani Y, Kawamori R, Miyatsuka T, Kosaka Y, Yang K, Honig G, van der Hart M, Kishimoto N, Wang J, Yagihashi S, Tecott LH, Watada H, German MS Serotonin regulates pancreatic beta cell mass during pregnancy. (2010) Nat Med 16: 804-8 (Added 2011-03-25 06:37:10.057051)
20148032 Smith SB, Qu HQ, Taleb N, Kishimoto NY, Scheel DW, Lu Y, Patch AM, Grabs R, Wang J, Lynn FC, Miyatsuka T, Mitchell J, Seerke R, Désir J, Eijnden SV, Abramowicz M, Kacet N, Weill J, Renard ME, Gentile M, Hansen I, Dewar K, Hattersley AT, Wang R, Wilson ME, Johnson JD, Polychronakos C, German MS Rfx6 directs islet formation and insulin production in mice and humans. (2010) Nature 463: 775-80 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.174199)
20061422 Halban PA, German MS, Kahn SE, Weir GC Current status of islet cell replacement and regeneration therapy. (2010) J Clin Endocrinol Metab 95: 1034-43 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.479788)
20048018 Wang YC, Zuraek MB, Kosaka Y, Ota Y, German MS, Deneris ES, Bergsland EK, Donner DB, Warren RS, Nakakura EK The ETS oncogene family transcription factor FEV identifies serotonin-producing cells in normal and neoplastic small intestine. (2010) Endocr Relat Cancer 17: 283-91 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.484027)
19766074 Van Hoof D, D'Amour KA, German MS Derivation of insulin-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells. (2009) Stem Cell Res 3: 73-87 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.488106)
19478145 Miyatsuka T, Li Z, German MS Chronology of islet differentiation revealed by temporal cell labeling. (2009) Diabetes 58: 1863-8 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.491823)
18987169 Wang YC, Gallego-Arteche E, Iezza G, Yuan X, Matli MR, Choo SP, Zuraek MB, Gogia R, Lynn FC, German MS, Bergsland EK, Donner DB, Warren RS, Nakakura EK Homeodomain transcription factor NKX2.2 functions in immature cells to control enteroendocrine differentiation and is expressed in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. (2009) Endocr Relat Cancer 16: 267-79 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.49591)
18846076 German MS New beta-cells from old acini. (2008) Nat Biotechnol 26: 1092-3 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.500348)
18832589 Cai J, Donaldson A, Yang M, German MS, Enikolopov G, Iacovitti L The role of Lmx1a in the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into midbrain dopamine neurons in culture and after transplantation into a Parkinson's disease model. (2009) Stem Cells 27: 220-9 (Added 2010-08-17 21:50:51.504683)
18560595 Lynn FC, Sanchez L, Gomis R, German MS, Gasa R Identification of the bHLH factor Math6 as a novel component of the embryonic pancreas transcriptional network. (2008) PLoS One 3: e2430 (Added 2010-08-17 21:57:49.084726)
18506029 Nekrep N, Wang J, Miyatsuka T, German MS Signals from the neural crest regulate beta-cell mass in the pancreas. (2008) Development 135: 2151-60 (Added 2010-08-17 21:57:49.090272)
18093211 Louet JF, Smith SB, Gautier JF, Molokhia M, Virally ML, Kevorkian JP, Guillausseau PJ, Vexiau P, Charpentier G, German MS, Vaisse C, Urbanek M, Mauvais-Jarvis F Gender and neurogenin3 influence the pathogenesis of ketosis-prone diabetes. (2008) Diabetes Obes Metab 10: 912-20 (Added 2010-08-17 21:57:49.094382)
18083786 Cano DA, Rulifson IC, Heiser PW, Swigart LB, Pelengaris S, German M, Evan GI, Bluestone JA, Hebrok M Regulated beta-cell regeneration in the adult mouse pancreas. (2008) Diabetes 57: 958-66 (Added 2010-08-17 21:57:49.098286)
17924961 Gasa R, Mrejen C, Lynn FC, Skewes-Cox P, Sanchez L, Yang KY, Lin CH, Gomis R, German MS Induction of pancreatic islet cell differentiation by the neurogenin-neuroD cascade. (2008) Differentiation 76: 381-91 (Added 2010-08-17 21:57:49.10227)
17804764 Lynn FC, Skewes-Cox P, Kosaka Y, McManus MT, Harfe BD, German MS MicroRNA expression is required for pancreatic islet cell genesis in the mouse. (2007) Diabetes 56: 2938-45 (Added 2012-07-10 10:38:29.292379)
17563382 Lynn FC, Smith SB, Wilson ME, Yang KY, Nekrep N, German MS Sox9 coordinates a transcriptional network in pancreatic progenitor cells. (2007) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104: 10500-5 (Added 2010-08-17 21:58:59.579867)
16306355 Wilson ME, Yang KY, Kalousova A, Lau J, Kosaka Y, Lynn FC, Wang J, Mrejen C, Episkopou V, Clevers HC, German MS The HMG box transcription factor Sox4 contributes to the development of the endocrine pancreas. (2005) Diabetes 54: 3402-9 (Added 2011-04-19 12:44:37.68382)
15766752 Kawahira H, Scheel DW, Smith SB, German MS, Hebrok M Hedgehog signaling regulates expansion of pancreatic epithelial cells. (2005) Dev Biol 280: 111-21 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.183174)
15509590 Mauvais-Jarvis F, Smith SB, Le May C, Leal SM, Gautier JF, Molokhia M, Riveline JP, Rajan AS, Kevorkian JP, Zhang S, Vexiau P, German MS, Vaisse C PAX4 gene variations predispose to ketosis-prone diabetes. (2004) Hum Mol Genet 13: 3151-9 (Added 2010-08-17 22:01:13.282132)
15340143 Gasa R, Mrejen C, Leachman N, Otten M, Barnes M, Wang J, Chakrabarti S, Mirmira R, German M Proendocrine genes coordinate the pancreatic islet differentiation program in vitro. (2004) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101: 13245-50 (Added 2011-04-19 12:44:37.68382)
15289654 Khoo S, Gibson TB, Arnette D, Lawrence M, January B, McGlynn K, Vanderbilt CA, Griffen SC, German MS, Cobb MH MAP kinases and their roles in pancreatic beta-cells. (2004) Cell Biochem Biophys 40: 191-200 (Added 2010-08-17 22:02:03.117038)
14576336 Smith SB, Watada H, German MS Neurogenin3 activates the islet differentiation program while repressing its own expression. (2004) Mol Endocrinol 18: 142-9 (Added 2010-08-17 22:02:03.122763)
12837760 Smith SB, Gasa R, Watada H, Wang J, Griffen SC, German MS Neurogenin3 and hepatic nuclear factor 1 cooperate in activating pancreatic expression of Pax4. (2003) J Biol Chem 278: 38254-9 (Added 2010-08-17 22:03:17.810039)
12810726 Khoo S, Griffen SC, Xia Y, Baer RJ, German MS, Cobb MH Regulation of insulin gene transcription by ERK1 and ERK2 in pancreatic beta cells. (2003) J Biol Chem 278: 32969-77 (Added 2010-08-17 22:03:17.81484)
12604598 Watada H, Scheel DW, Leung J, German MS Distinct gene expression programs function in progenitor and mature islet cells. (2003) J Biol Chem 278: 17130-40 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.192093)
12490297 Wilson ME, Scheel D, German MS Gene expression cascades in pancreatic development. (2003) Mech Dev 120: 65-80 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.201082)
12049785 Wilson ME, Kalamaras JA, German MS Expression pattern of IAPP and prohormone convertase 1/3 reveals a distinctive set of endocrine cells in the embryonic pancreas. (2002) Mech Dev 115: 171-6 (Added 2010-08-17 22:03:17.826238)
11334435 Lee JC, Smith SB, Watada H, Lin J, Scheel D, Wang J, Mirmira RG, German MS Regulation of the pancreatic pro-endocrine gene neurogenin3. (2001) Diabetes 50: 928-36 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.210103)
11250924 Fernandez-Mejia C, Vega-Allende J, Rojas-Ochoa A, Rodriguez-Dorantes M, Romero-Navarro G, Matschinsky FM, Wang J, German MS Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate increases pancreatic glucokinase activity and gene expression. (2001) Endocrinology 142: 1448-52 (Added 2010-08-17 22:04:47.641742)
11147796 Griffen SC, Wang J, German MS A genetic defect in beta-cell gene expression segregates independently from the fa locus in the ZDF rat. (2001) Diabetes 50: 63-8 (Added 2010-08-17 22:04:47.646298)
11076772 Sander M, Sussel L, Conners J, Scheel D, Kalamaras J, Dela Cruz F, Schwitzgebel V, Hayes-Jordan A, German M Homeobox gene Nkx6.1 lies downstream of Nkx2.2 in the major pathway of beta-cell formation in the pancreas. (2000) Development 127: 5533-40 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.218176)
10970877 Sander M, Paydar S, Ericson J, Briscoe J, Berber E, German M, Jessell TM, Rubenstein JL Ventral neural patterning by Nkx homeobox genes: Nkx6.1 controls somatic motor neuron and ventral interneuron fates. (2000) Genes Dev 14: 2134-9 (Added 2010-08-17 22:04:47.653425)
10967107 Smith SB, Watada H, Scheel DW, Mrejen C, German MS Autoregulation and maturity onset diabetes of the young transcription factors control the human PAX4 promoter. (2000) J Biol Chem 275: 36910-9 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.227072)
10966856 Ohneda K, Ee H, German M Regulation of insulin gene transcription. (2000) Semin Cell Dev Biol 11: 227-33 (Added 2010-08-17 22:04:47.66079)
10944215 Watada H, Mirmira RG, Kalamaras J, German MS Intramolecular control of transcriptional activity by the NK2-specific domain in NK-2 homeodomain proteins. (2000) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97: 9443-8 (Added 2010-08-17 22:04:47.664438)
10938085 Watada H, Mirmira RG, Leung J, German MS Transcriptional and translational regulation of beta-cell differentiation factor Nkx6.1. (2000) J Biol Chem 275: 34224-30 (Added 2010-08-17 22:04:47.668017)
10903178 Schwitzgebel VM, Scheel DW, Conners JR, Kalamaras J, Lee JE, Anderson DJ, Sussel L, Johnson JD, German MS Expression of neurogenin3 reveals an islet cell precursor population in the pancreas. (2000) Development 127: 3533-42 (Added 2011-03-24 22:26:41.235665)
10799563 Mirmira RG, Watada H, German MS Beta-cell differentiation factor Nkx6.1 contains distinct DNA binding interference and transcriptional repression domains. (2000) J Biol Chem 275: 14743-51 (Added 2010-08-17 22:06:07.652734)
10629047 Ohneda K, Mirmira RG, Wang J, Johnson JD, German MS The homeodomain of PDX-1 mediates multiple protein-protein interactions in the formation of a transcriptional activation complex on the insulin promoter. (2000) Mol Cell Biol 20: 900-11 (Added 2010-08-17 22:06:07.65689)
10567552 Smith SB, Ee HC, Conners JR, German MS Paired-homeodomain transcription factor PAX4 acts as a transcriptional repressor in early pancreatic development. (1999) Mol Cell Biol 19: 8272-80 (Added 2010-08-17 22:06:07.661142)
Resource ID Name Contributed on Primary Contributor
1042 Overexpression of Neurogenin3 in Mpac mouse ductal cells Nov 3, 2004 Yes
1063 Sox4 null mice e12.5 pancreas Jan 31, 2007 Yes
4303 List of GPCR's Expressed at Significant Levels in Human Islets Mar 16, 2012 Yes
3 completed resources viewable