Shannon Townsend

Our lab has demonstrated that cellular communication network 2 (CCN2) induces β-cell proliferation in vivo and ex vivo. However, it is unknown what molecule on the β cell is required for CCN2’s action as well as the mechanism by which CCN2 induces β-cell proliferation. My hypothesis is that β1 integrin is required for CCN2 to induce β-cell proliferation, and I will be testing that by generating a β-cell specific β1 integrin inactivation mouse model and using ex vivo proliferation assays with wild-type mouse and human islets. To understand how CCN2 induces proliferation, phosphoproteomics and gene expression will be utilized to identify downstream targets. analysis.