Jingsong Xu

Cell migration is essential for such physiological and pathological processes as embryonic development, neurite guidance, host defense, and tumor invasion. Despite their diversity of morphology and function, different migratory cells share a conserved set of intracellular signals to guide cell migration. My long-term goal is to understand how cell migration is regulated on the molecular level and to seek new therapeutic targets and strategies for treating diseases related to dysfunctional cell migration. In particular, we plan to delineate signaling pathways that govern the cytoskeletal assemblies required for two key cellular responses during migration: polarization and directional sensing.

Liu X, Yang T, Suzuki K, Tsukita S, Ishii M, Zhou S, Wang G, Cao L, Qian F, Taylor S, Oh M, Levitan I, Ye RD, Carnegie GK, Zhao Y, Malik AB, Xu J. Moesin and myosin phosphatase confine neutrophil orientation in a chemotactic gradient. J Exp Med. 212:267-280, 2015.

Liu X, Ma B, Malik AB, Tang H, Yang T, Sun B, Wang G, Minshall RD, Li Y, Zhao Y, Ye RD, Xu J. Bidirectional regulation of neutrophil migration by mitogen-activated protein kinases. Nat Immunol. 13:457-64, 2012.

Xu J, Gao XP, Ramchandran R, Zhao YY, Vogel SM, Malik AB. Nonmuscle myosin light-chain kinase mediates neutrophil transmigration in sepsis-induced lung inflammation by activating beta2 integrins. Nat Immunol. 9:880-6, 2008.

Xu J, Van Keymeulen A, Wakida NM, Carlton P, Berns MW, Bourne HR. Polarity reveals intrinsic cell chirality. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 104:9296-300, 2007.

Xu J, Wang F, Van Keymeulen A, Rentel M, Bourne HR. Neutrophil microtubules suppress polarity and enhance directional migration. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 102:6884-9, 2005.

Xu J, Wang F, Van Keymeulen A, Herzmark P, Straight A, Kelly K, Takuwa Y, Sugimoto N, Mitchison T, Bourne HR. Divergent signals and cytoskeletal assemblies regulate self-organizing polarity in neutrophils. Cell. 114:201-14, 2003.