Peter Lwigale

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

I am interested in events that regulate the differentiation of the multipotent neural crest cells during corneal development and neural crest-derived stromal keratocytes during cornea regeneration. The cornea is a highly specialized transparent tissue located at the anterior-most surface of the eye. An embryonic cell population known as neural crest cells gives rise to majority of the cells in the cornea, including: stromal keratocytes, corneal endothelium, and sensory nerves. Development and regeneration of the cornea are both multi-step processes that involve coordinated migration and differentiation of neural crest cells and keratocytes, respectively, as well as the intricate patterning of sensory nerves. Using the chick as a model organism and a combination of molecular, microsurgical, and tissue culture approaches, we have shown that: 1) only a subpopulation of neural crest cells can properly contribute to the cornea, 2) corneal keratocytes retain the stem cell-like properties of their neural crest progenitors when challenged in an embryonic environment, and 3) the lens-derived axon guidance molecule, Semaphorin3A, regulates sensory innervation of the cornea. Currently, our research is aimed at further elucidating the role of guidance molecules during cornea development. Since cornea regeneration recapitulates development, we will extrapolate our studies to cornea wound healing. In addition to the chick, these studies will involve the mouse as a genetic model organism to further our understanding of the genes that are involved in these processes. We are also studying the stem cell potential of keratocytes and their characteristics in the embryonic environment. Ultimately, the goal of our research is to provide an insight into how guidance molecules are disrupted in congenital eye disorders and cornea wound healing, which may lead to discoveries of remedies or cures to these ocular problems.

Publications

Spurlin, J. and Lwigale, P. A Technique to Increase Accessibility to Late-stage Chick Embryos for In Ovo Manipulations.  Dev Dyn., DOI 10.1002/dvdy.23907 2012

Griswold, S. and Lwigale, P. Analysis of neural crest migration and differentiation by cross-species transplantation.  J. Vis. Exp. , 7 (60) 2012: 3622

McKenna, C., Munjaal, R., and Lwigale, P. Distinct roles for Neuropilin1 and Neuropilin2 during mouse corneal innervation.  PLoS ONE, 7 (5) 2012: e37175

Schwend, T., Lwigale, P., and Conrad, G. Nerve repulsion by the lens and cornea during cornea innervation is dependent on Robo-Slit signaling and diminishes with neuron age.  Dev. Biol. , 363 2012: 115-127

McKenna, C. and Lwigale, P. Innervation of the mouse cornea during development.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci., 52 2011: 30-35

Lwigale, P.Y. and Bronner-Fraser, M. Semaphorin3A/neuropilin-1 signaling acts as a molecular switch regulating neural crest migration during cornea development.  Dev Biol, 336 2009: 257-265

Lee, V.M. and Lwigale, P.Y. Neural Crest, Sensory Neuron and Muscle Cultures.  Methods Cell Biology, 87 2008: 115-133

Lwigale, P.Y. and Schneider, R.A. Other Chimeras: Quail-Duck and Mouse-Chick.  Methods Cell Biology, 87 2008: 59-74

Shiau, C.E., Lwigale, P.Y., Raman, M.D., Wilson, S.A., and Bronner-Fraser, M. Robo2-Slit1 dependent cell-cell interactions mediate assembly of the trigeminal ganglion.  Nature Neuroscience, 11 2008: 269-276

Lwigale, P.Y., and Marianne Bronner-Fraser Lens-derived Semaphorine3A regulates cornea innervation.  Dev Biol., 306 2007: 750-759

Lwigale, P.Y., Cressy, P. A., and Bronner-Fraser, M. Corneal keratocytes retain neural crest progenitor cell properties.  Dev Biol, 288 2005: 284-293

Lwigale, P.Y., Gary W. Conrad, and Marianne Bronner-Fraser Graded potential of neural crest to form cornea, sensory neurons and cartilage along the rostrocaudal axis.  Development, 131 2004: 1979-1991

Cerny, R, Lwigale, P., Ericsson, R, Meulemans, D., Epperlein, H. and Bronner-Fraser, M. Mandibular arch morphogenesis and the origin of jaws: new interpretation of "maxillary" and "mandibular".  Dev BioI, 276 2004: 225-236

Lwigale, P.Y., and Marianne Bronner-Fraser Embryonic origin of avian corneal sensory nerves.  Dev BioI, 239 2001: 323-337

Riley, N. C., Lwigale, P., and Conrad, G. Specificity of corneal nerve positions during embryogenesis.  Mol. Vis., 7 2001: 297-304

Lwigale, P.Y., Thurmond, 1. E., Norton, W. N.; Spooner, B. S. and Wiens, D. 1. Simulated microgravity and hypergravity attenuate heart tissue development in explant culture.  Cells Tissues Organs, 167 2000: 171-183

Lwigale, P.Y. Nuclear morphologies of bovine corneal cells as visualized by confocal microscopy.  Cells Tissues Organs, 165 1999: 104-112