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Sarah C Kucenas

Sarah C Kucenas

Professor, Biology

Primary Location
Dept. of Biology
PO Box 400328
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4328
Primary Phone Number
434.982.5436
Email
[email protected]
Website
http://www.kucenaslab.com

Bio & Overview

The long-term goal of our research program is to elucidate the roles of peripheral and central glia and glial-glial interactions during nervous system development, maintenance and disease/injury. Using Danio rerio (zebrafish) as a model system (and to a lesser extent, mouse), we combine genetic and pharmacological perturbation, single cell manipulation, laser ablation/axotomy and in vivo, time-lapse imaging to directly and continuously observe glial cell origins, behaviors and interactions in an intact vertebrate.

Academic Information

Department
Biology
Academic Title
Professor

Primary Education

  • BS, Biology, Valparaiso University, 2000
  • PhD, Pharmacological & Physiological Sciences, Saint Louis University, 2005
  • Postdoc, Developmental Neurobiology, Vanderbilt University , 2009

Other Appointments

  • Professor, Cell Biology
  • Professor, Neuroscience
  • Assistant Professor, BMBG
  • Assistant Professor, MCDB

Other Affiliations

  • Arts & Sciences
  • MSTP
  • Professor, BIMS
  • Brain Immunology and Glia Center

Research Interests

The role of glia in the development, maintenance and regeneration of the nervous system

Research Disciplines

  • Bioinformatics and Genomics
  • Biology
  • Cell and Developmental Biology
  • Development, Stem Cells & Regeneration
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Neuroimmunology
  • Neuroscience
  • Translational Science

Research Opportunities

  • Cell Biology
  • Development, Stem Cells & Regeneration
  • Genetics
  • Molecular and Systems Neuroscience
  • Neuroscience

PhD Programs

  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience

Selected Publications

2024

Liu, K. E., & Kucenas, S. (2024). Rohon-beard neurons do not succumb to programmed cell death during zebrafish development.. Developmental biology, S0012-1606(24)00170-2. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.06.020

Kucenas, S., Pulh, P., Topilko, P., & Smith, C. J. (2024). Glia at Transition Zones.. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology, a041369. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a041369

Brown, R. I., Barber, H. M., & Kucenas, S. (2024). Satellite glial cell manipulation prior to axotomy enhances developing dorsal root ganglion central branch regrowth into the spinal cord. GLIA. doi:10.1002/glia.24581

2022

Wiltbank, A. T., Steisnon, E. R., Criswell, S. J., Piller, M., & Kucenas, S. (2022). Cd59 and inflammation regulate Schwann cell development. ELIFE, 11. doi:10.7554/eLife.76640

Arena, K. A., Zhu, Y., & Kucenas, S. (2022). Transforming growth factor-beta signaling modulates perineurial glial bridging following peripheral spinal motor nerve injury in zebrafish. GLIA, 70(10), 1826-1849. doi:10.1002/glia.24220

Liu, K. E., Raymond, M. H., Ravichandran, K. S., & Kucenas, S. (2022). Clearing Your Mind: Mechanisms of Debris Clearance After Cell Death During Neural Development. ANNUAL REVIEW OF NEUROSCIENCE, 45, 177-198. doi:10.1146/annurev-neuro-110920-022431

2021

Brown, R. I., Kawakami, K., & Kucenas, S. (2022). A novel gene trap line for visualization and manipulation of erbb3b+ neural crest and glial cells in zebrafish. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, 482, 114-123. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.12.007

Wiltbank, A. T., & Kucenas, S. (2021). Diversity and convergence within peripheral glia development. TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCES, 44(12), 930-932. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2021.10.004

Ali, M. F., Latimer, A. J., Wang, Y., Hogenmiller, L., Fontenas, L., Isabella, A. J., . . . Kucenas, S. (2021). Met is required for oligodendrocyte progenitor cell migration in Danio rerio. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS, 11(10). doi:10.1093/g3journal/jkab265

Piller, M., Werkman, I. L., Brown, E. A., Latimer, A. J., & Kucenas, S. (2021). Glutamate Signaling via the AMPAR Subunit GluR4 Regulates Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cell Migration in the Developing Spinal Cord. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 41(25), 5353-5371. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2562-20.2021

Fontenas, L., & Kucenas, S. (2021). Spinal cord precursors utilize neural crest cell mechanisms to generate hybrid peripheral myelinating glia. ELIFE, 10. doi:10.7554/eLife.64267

Raiders, S., Han, T., Scott-Hewitt, N., Kucenas, S., Lew, D., Logan, M. A., & Singhvi, A. (2021). Engulfed by Glia: Glial Pruning in Development, Function, and Injury across Species. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 41(5), 823-833. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1660-20.2020

Ali, M., Latimer, A., Wang, Y., Hogenmiller, L., Fontenas, L., Isabella, A., . . . Kucenas, S. (2021). Met is required for oligodendrocyte progenitor cell migration in Danio rerio. doi:10.1101/2021.05.21.445204

2020

Fontenas, L., & Kucenas, S. (2020). Spinal cord precursors utilize neural crest cell mechanisms to generate hybrid peripheral myelinating glia. doi:10.1101/2020.10.22.351171

2019

Zhu, Y., Crowley, S. C., Latimer, A. J., Lewis, G. M., Nash, R., & Kucenas, S. (2019). Migratory Neural Crest Cells Phagocytose Dead Cells in the Developing Nervous System. CELL, 179(1), 74-+. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2019.08.001

Fontenas, L., Welsh, T. G., Piller, M., Coughenour, P., Gandhi, A. V., Prober, D. A., & Kucenas, S. (2019). The Neuromodulator Adenosine Regulates Oligodendrocyte Migration at Motor Exit Point Transition Zones. CELL REPORTS, 27(1), 115-+. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.013

2018

Morioka, S., Perry, J. S. A., Raymond, M. H., Medina, C. B., Zhu, Y., Zhao, L., . . . Ravichandran, K. S. (2018). Efferocytosis induces a novel SLC program to promote glucose uptake and lactate release. NATURE, 563(7733), 714-718. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0735-5

Welsh, T. G., & Kucenas, S. (2018). Purinergic signaling in oligodendrocyte development and function. JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, 145(1), 6-18. doi:10.1111/jnc.14315

Fontenas, L., & Kucenas, S. (2018). Motor Exit Point (MEP) Glia: Novel Myelinating Glia That Bridge CNS and PNS Myelin. FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE, 12. doi:10.3389/fncel.2018.00333

2017

Fontenas, L., & Kucenas, S. (2017). Livin' On The Edge: glia shape nervous system transition zones. CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROBIOLOGY, 47, 44-51. doi:10.1016/j.conb.2017.09.008

Morris, A. D., Erisir, A., Criswell, S. J., & Kucenas, S. (2017). Transmission electron microscopy of zebrafish spinal motor nerve roots. DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, 246(11), 956-962. doi:10.1002/dvdy.24529

Morris, A. D., Lewis, G. M., & Kucenas, S. (2017). Perineurial Glial Plasticity and the Role of TGF-β in the Development of the Blood-Nerve Barrier. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 37(18), 4790-4807. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2875-16.2017

Smith, C. J., Wheeler, M. A., Marjoram, L., Bagnat, M., Deppmann, C. D., & Kucenas, S. (2017). TNFa/TNFR2 signaling is required for glial ensheathment at the dorsal root entry zone. PLOS GENETICS, 13(4). doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1006712

2016

Johnson, K., Barragan, J., Bashiruddin, S., Smith, C. J., Tyrrell, C., Parsons, M. J., . . . Barresi, M. J. F. (2016). Gfap-Positive Radial Glial Cells Are an Essential Progenitor Population for Later-Born Neurons and Glia in the Zebrafish Spinal Cord. GLIA, 64(7), 1170-1189. doi:10.1002/glia.22990

Smith, C. J., Johnson, K., Welsh, T. G., Barresi, M. J. F., & Kucenas, S. (2016). Radial Glia Inhibit Peripheral Glial Infiltration into the Spinal Cord at Motor Exit Point Transition Zones. GLIA, 64(7), 1138-1153. doi:10.1002/glia.22987

Wheeler, M. A., Smith, C. J., Ottolini, M., Barker, B. S., Purohit, A. M., Grippo, R. M., . . . Guler, A. D. (2016). Genetically targeted magnetic control of the nervous system. NATURE NEUROSCIENCE, 19(5), 756-+. doi:10.1038/nn.4265

2015

Kucenas, S. (2015). Adventures in Wonderland. PLOS GENETICS, 11(4). doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005086

Kucenas, S. (2015). Perineurial Glia. COLD SPRING HARBOR PERSPECTIVES IN BIOLOGY, 7(6). doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a020511

2014

Lewis, G. M., & Kucenas, S. (2014). Perineurial Glia Are Essential for Motor Axon Regrowth following Nerve Injury. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 34(38), 12762-12777. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1906-14.2014

Smith, C. J., Morris, A. D., Welsh, T. G., & Kucenas, S. (2014). Contact-Mediated Inhibition Between Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells and Motor Exit Point Glia Establishes the Spinal Cord Transition Zone. PLOS BIOLOGY, 12(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001961

Clark, J. K., O'keefe, A., Mastracci, T. L., Sussel, L., Matise, M. P., & Kucenas, S. (2014). Mammalian Nkx2.2+ Perineurial Glia Are Essential for Motor Nerve Development. DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, 243(9), 1116-1129. doi:10.1002/DVDY.24158

2013

Lewis, G. M., & Kucenas, S. (2013). Motor Nerve Transection and Time-lapse Imaging of Glial Cell Behaviors in Live Zebrafish. JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS, (76). doi:10.3791/50621

Binari, L. A., Lewis, G. M., & Kucenas, S. (2013). Perineurial Glia Require Notch Signaling during Motor Nerve Development but Not Regeneration. JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, 33(10), 4241-4252. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4893-12.2013

2010

Takada, N., Kucenas, S., & Appel, B. (2010). Sox10 Is Necessary for Oligodendrocyte Survival Following Axon Wrapping. GLIA, 58(8), 996-1006. doi:10.1002/glia.20981