Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station | Rutgers Home Search Rutgers

NJAES Faculty Expertise Database

Wendie Cohick Wendie Cohick
Professor
 Animal Sciences
Foran 108
59 Dudley Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 848-932-6319
Fax: 732-932-6535
Email: cohick@aesop.rutgers.edu
Website: www.anisci.rutgers.edu/faculty/cohick/wendie-cohick.html

Expertise Summary
  Research in my laboratory focuses on the role of the insulin-like growth factors (IGF) in mammary gland growth and development. A specific focus is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which these growth factors regulate growth, differentiation and cell survival of mammary epithelial cells. This cell type is responsible for milk synthesis and is also a common site of origin of mammary carcinoma. The IGFs associate with a family of high-affinity binding proteins (IGFBP) which modulate their biological activity. For example we have found that IGF-I specifically stimulates the synthesis of IGF binding protein-3 by mammary epithelial cells. When these cells are transfected to overexpress this protein, they exhibit enhanced responsiveness to IGF-I in terms of DNA synthesis. We are currently investigating the mechanisms underlying this observation.

Specific areas of research include: • regulation of IGF binding protein gene transcription • the role of IGF and IGF binding protein-3 in regulating growth, differentiation and apoptosis of mammary epithelial cells • signal transduction pathways by which IGF-I regulates growth of mammary epithelial cells and mammary fibroblasts • interactions between the extracellular matrix and growth factors in the mammary gland

Research Projects
  • INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTORS AND THEIR BINDING PROTEINS IN THE BOVINE MAMMARY GLAND

    • Selected Publications
    Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 mediates IGF-I action in a bovine mammary epithelial cell line independent of an IGF interaction.
      Journal: Journal of Cellular Physiology
     Authors: Grill CJ, Cohick WS
    Volume: 183    Pages: 273-283
    Insulin-like growth factor-I and cyclic AMP regulate IGF binding protein-3 gene expression by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in mammary epithelial cells.
      Journal: Endocrinology
     Authors: Cohick WS, Wang B, Verma P, Boisclair Y
       Pages: 4583-4591
    Postnatal development of the rat mammary gland is preserved during iron deficiency.
      Journal: Journal of Nutrition
     Authors: Cohick, WS, Sherman, A
    Volume: 131    Pages: 1444-1448

    Students
    Jodie Fleming Graduate
    Dawn Novi Graduate
    Usha Sivaprasad Graduate

     

    -----