Min Zhao

A large scale screen reveals genes that mediate electrotaxis in Dictyostelium discoideum

Published in Science Signaling

ElectroTaxis-on-a-Chip (ETC): an integrated quantitative high-throughput screening platform for electrical field-directe...

Published in Lab on a Chip

3D Arrays for high throughput assay of cell migration and electrotaxis

Published in Cell Biology International

Ion-selective self-referencing probes for measuring specific ion flux

Published in Communicative & Integrative Biology

Measurement of Bioelectric Current with a Vibrating Probe

Published in Journal of Visualized Experiments

PI3K mediated electrotaxis of embryonic and adult neural progenitor cells in the presence of growth factors.

Published in Experimental Neurology

Correct guidance of the migration of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is essential for the development and repair of the central nervous system (CNS). Electric field (EF)-guided migration, electrotaxis, has been observed in many cell types. We report here that, in applied EFs of physiological magnitude, embryonic and adult NPCs show marked electrotax...

A time-lapse and quantitative modelling analysis of neural stem cell motion in the absence of directional cues and in el...

Published in Journal of Neuroscience Research

Neural stem cell (NSC) migration is an important component of their developmental function and therapeutic potential. Understanding their mode of migration and their response to guidance cues can contribute to improved therapies for CNS repair, in which appropriate homing to sites of injury is essential. Using time-lapse imaging, we have analyzed t...

Chloride channels and transporters in human corneal epithelium.

Published in Experimental Eye Research

Transport of water and electrolytes is critical for corneal clarity. Recent studies indicate another important function of transport of ions and electrolytes - establishing wound electric fields that guide cell migration. We found chloride (Cl(-)) flux is a major component of the corneal wound electric current. In order to elucidate the mechanisms ...

Modulating endogenous electric currents in human corneal wounds—a novel approach of bioelectric stimulation without elec...

Published in Cataract and Cornea Journal of the Egyptian Society of Cataract and Corneal Diseases

Airway epithelial wounds in rhesus monkey generate ionic currents that guide cell migration to promote healing.

Published in Journal of Applied Physiology

Damage to the respiratory epithelium is one of the most critical steps to many life-threatening diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The mechanisms underlying repair of the damaged epithelium have not yet been fully elucidated. Here we provide experimental evidence suggesting a novel mecha...

Guided migration of neural stem cells derived from human embryonic stem cells by an electric field.

Published in The International Journal Of Cell Cloning

Small direct current (DC) electric fields (EFs) guide neurite growth and migration of rodent neural stem cells (NSCs). However, this could be species dependent. Therefore, it is critical to investigate how human NSCs (hNSCs) respond to EF before any possible clinical attempt. Aiming to characterize the EF-stimulated and guided migration of hNSCs, w...

Single cell wound generates electric current circuit and cell membrane potential variations that requires calcium influx...

Published in Integrative Biology

Breaching of the cell membrane is one of the earliest and most common causes of cell injury, tissue damage, and disease. If the compromise in cell membrane is not repaired quickly, irreversible cell damage, cell death and defective organ functions will result. It is therefore fundamentally important to efficiently repair damage to the cell membrane...

Diabetic cornea wounds produce significantly weaker electric signals that may contribute to impaired healing.

Published in Scientific Reports

Wounds naturally produce electric signals which serve as powerful cues that stimulate and guide cell migration during wound healing. In diabetic patients, impaired wound healing is one of the most challenging complications in diabetes management. A fundamental gap in knowledge is whether diabetic wounds have abnormal electric signaling. Here we use...

Regulation of tissue repair and regeneration by electric fields.

Published in Chinese Journal of Traumatology

Endogenous electric fields (EFs) have been detected at wounds and damaged tissues. The potential roles of EFs in tissue repair and regeneration have been an intriguing topic for centuries. Recent researches have provided significant insights into how naturally occurring EFs may participate in the control of tissue repair and regeneration. Applied E...

Electric currents and lens regeneration in the rat.

Published in Experimental Eye Research

We studied the process of lens regeneration in the rat following an extracapsular lens extraction preserving the anterior lens capsule and anterior lens epithelium. We assessed clinically the clarity of the newly regenerated lens, evaluated changes in the lens electrical currents following surgery and during the regeneration process and correlated ...

Gβ Regulates Coupling between Actin Oscillators for Cell Polarity and Directional Migration.

Published in PLoS Biology

For directional movement, eukaryotic cells depend on the proper organization of their actin cytoskeleton. This engine of motility is made up of highly dynamic nonequilibrium actin structures such as flashes, oscillations, and traveling waves. In Dictyostelium, oscillatory actin foci interact with signals such as Ras and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-t...

Directing migration of endothelial progenitor cells with applied DC electric fields.

Published in Stem Cell Research

Naturally-occurring, endogenous electric fields (EFs) have been detected at skin wounds, damaged tissue sites and vasculature. Applied EFs guide migration of many types of cells, including endothelial cells to migrate directionally. Homing of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to an injury site is important for repair of vasculature and also for a...

Ion-selective self-referencing probes for measuring specific ion flux.

Published in Communicative & Integrative Biology

The metal vibrating probe developed in the 1970s to measure electric current is sensitive down to the micro-Amp range, but detects only net current due to flow of multiple ions and is too large to measure from single cells. Electrophysiological techniques which use glass microelectrodes such as voltage clamping can be used on single cells but are a...

Electric currents in Xenopus tadpole tail regeneration.

Published in Developmental Biology

Xenopus laevis tadpoles can regenerate tail, including spinal cord, after partial amputation, but lose this ability during a specific period around stage 45. They regain this ability after stage 45. What happens during this "refractory period" might hold the key to spinal cord regeneration. We hypothesize that electric currents at amputated stumps ...

An Experimental Model for Simultaneous Study of Migration of Cell Fragments, Single Cells, and Cell Sheets.

Published in Methods in Molecular Biology

Recent studies have demonstrated distinctive motility and responses to extracellular cues of cells in isolation, cells collectively in groups, and cell fragments. Here we provide a protocol for generating cell sheets, isolated cells, and cell fragments of keratocytes from zebrafish scales. The protocol starts with a comprehensive fish preparation, ...