Research in Veterinary Medicine
Chao Zhao
Position(s):Assistant Director of Research
Email: cz213@cam.ac.uk
Tel.: +44 (0)1223 765131
Other relevant links
Research description
My research focuses on the mechanism of remyelination of the central nervous system after demyelination in various conditions. After demyelinating injury, the system activates a repair process, which involves oligodendrocyte progenitor cells turning into mature myelinating oligodendrocytes to replace the lost myelin sheath of the axons. Failure of this process can result in axonal loss and permanent functional deficits, as seen in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Understanding the remyelination process, including the regulating factors in injury environment and the cell's intrinsic properties is essential for finding means of enhancing the repair of normally non-repairable clinical conditions. In addition, study of this fine example of involvement of adult stem cells (precursor cells) in repair process is of general interest in regeneration biology. We combine molecular and cellular techniques, genetic approaches and in vivo demyelinating models to dissect this complicated process.
Key publications since 2001
- Barraud P, He X, Zhao C, Ibanez C, Raha-Chowdhury R, Caldwell MA, Franklin RJM. (2007) Contrasting effects of basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor on mouse neonatal olfactory mucosa cells. European Journal of Neuroscience 26: 3345-3357
- Chari DM, Zhao C, Kotter MR, Blakemore WF, Franklin RJM (2006) Corticosteroids delay remyelination of experimental demyelination in rodent CNS. Journal of Neuroscience Research 83:594-605.
- Zhao C, Li W-W, Franklin RJM (2006) Differences in the early inflammatory responses to toxin-induced demyelination are associated with the age-related decline in CNS remyelination. Neurobiology of Aging 27: 1298-1307.
- Kotter MR, Li W-W, Zhao C, Franklin RJM (2006) Myelin Impairs CNS Remyelination by inhibiting oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation. Journal of Neuroscience. 26:328-332.
- Zhao C, Fancy SPJ, Magy L, Urwin JE, Franklin RJM (2005) Stem cells, progenitors and myelin repair. Journal of Anatomy 207: 251-258.
- Arnett HA, Fancy SPJ, Alberta JA, Zhao C, Plant SR, Som S, Raine CS, Rowitch D, Franklin RJM, Stiles CD (2004) The bHLH transcription factor Olig1 is required for repair of demyelinated lesions in the CNS. Science 306: 2111-2115
- Li W-W, Setzu A, Zhao C, Franklin RJM (2005) Minocycline-mediated inhibition of microglia activation impairs oligodendrocyte progenitor cell responses and remyelination in a non-immune model of demyelination. Journal of Neuroimmunology 158: 58-66
- Fancy SP*, Zhao C*, RJ (2004). Increased expression of Nkx2.2 and Olig2 identifies reactive oligodendrocyte progenitor cells responding to demyelination in the adult CNS. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. 27:247-54 (equal contribution)
- Zhao C, Strappe P, Lever AML, Franklin, RJM (2003) Lentiviral vectors for gene delivery to normal and demyelinated white matter. Glia 42: 59-67.
- Sim FJ, Zhao C, Pendris J and Franklin RJM (2002) The age-related decrease in CNS remyelination efficiency is attributable to an impairment of both oligodendrocyte progenitor recruitment and differentiation. Journal of Neuroscience 22: 2451-2459.