Donna Peters

Credentials: PhD

Position title: Professor

Email: dmpeter2@wisc.edu

Website: Lab Website

Phone: (608) 262-4626

Address:
Room 1794 WIMR
Department of Pathology & Lab Medicine
1111 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705

Office
1794 WIMR
Research Interests

Cell-matrix signaling in the human eye; glaucoma

Detail:
It is well established that a number of signal transduction events that govern both normal and abnormal cell behavior are modulated by interactions between cells and their extracellular matrix. The significance of these cell-matrix interactions and the signal transduction pathways regulated by them is clearly illustrated by the diversity and importance of biological processes controlled by them. Among these biological processes are gene expression, cell growth, apoptosis, differentiation, adhesion, cell migration, and cell contractility.

My laboratory is studying the role of cell-matrix interactions in the anterior chamber of the human eye so that we can better understand the cause of glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye disease that is known to be the world’s second leading cause of blindness. It is believed to be a defect in mechanochemical signaling events that serve to maintain normal levels of intraocular fluid in the anterior chamber of the eye.

My laboratory is interested in understanding what types of cell-matrix interactions occur in the anterior chamber of the human eye and the types of signal transduction events that they control. Recent studies in my laboratory have shown that interactions with an extracellular matrix protein called fibronectin help modulate the levels of intraocular pressure in the human eye and the movement of fluid through the anterior chamber. We have identified the domain in fibronectin that regulates intraocular pressure and at least two signaling molecules whose function is controlled by this domain. We are currently looking for the receptor that interacts with this domain and are characterizing the components of the signaling pathways and the biological processes governed by this interaction. Our long-term goal is to identify potential extracellular and intracellular targets that can be used to control glaucoma via genetic approaches such as gene therapy.

Selected Publications
  • Tan JCH, Peters DM, Kaufman PL. “Recent developments in understanding the pathophysiology of elevated intraocular pressure.” Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2006;17(2):168-74.
  • Liu X, Hu Y, Filla MS, et al. “The effect of C3 transgene expression on actin and cellular adhesions in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells and on outflow facility in organ cultured monkey eyes.” Mol. Vis.. 2005;11:1112-21.
  • Peters DM, Herbert K, Biddick B, Peterson JA. “Myocilin binding to Hep II domain of fibronectin inhibits cell spreading and incorporation of paxillin into focal adhesions.” Exp. Cell Res.. 2005;303(2):218-28.