Prof. H. Benjamin Peng
(Ph.D., Purdue University, 1976)

Chair Professor and Head of Department.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Department of Biology
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Tel: 852-2358-7921
Fax: 852-2358-1559
E-mail: penghb@ust.hk

Research interests: Development of the neuromuscular junction; cell biology; signal transduction

Description of research interests:

Development of the neuromuscular junction; cell biology; signal transduction.

The formation of synaptic connection is a central issue in the development of the nervous system. The formation of the neuromuscular junction offers a simple system for understanding synaptic development. This can be conveniently studied in tissue culture. In Professor Peng's laboratory, muscle cells and neurons from amphibian embryos are placed into tissue culture. When neurites contact the muscle cell, development of the neuromuscular junction follows. This is manifested by the formation of acetylcholine receptor clusters in the postsynaptic membrane and the development of synaptic vesicle clusters in the presynaptic terminal. The development of these synaptic specializations in culture is followed with a variety of techniques including light and electron microscopy, electrophysiology, immunocytochemistry, and molecular biology. Professor Peng is particularly interested in the signal that is communicated between nerve and muscle which leads to synaptic differentiation and the cellular and molecular mechanisms used by these two cell types in the assembly of the specializations.

1:  Lee CW, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Mitochondrial clustering at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction during presynaptic differentiation.
J Neurobiol. 2006 May;66(6):522-36.

2:  Madhavan R, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Molecular regulation of postsynaptic differentiation at the neuromuscular junction.
IUBMB Life. 2005 Nov;57(11):719-30. Review.

3:  Xie HQ, Siow NL, Peng HB, Massoulie J, Tsim KW. Related Articles, Links 
 Regulation of PRiMA: membrane anchor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in neuron and muscle.
Chem Biol Interact. 2005 Dec 15;157-158:432. No abstract available.

4:  Madhavan R, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 HGF induction of postsynaptic specializations at the neuromuscular junction.
J Neurobiol. 2006 Feb 5;66(2):134-47.

5:  Madhavan R, Zhao XT, Ruegg MA, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Tyrosine phosphatase regulation of MuSK-dependent acetylcholine receptor clustering.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 2005 Mar;28(3):403-16.

6:  Madhavan R, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 A synaptic balancing act: local and global signaling in the clustering of ACh receptors at vertebrate neuromuscular junctions.
J Neurocytol. 2003 Jun-Sep;32(5-8):685-96. Review.

7:  Madhavan R, Zhao XT, Chan F, Wu Z, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 The involvement of calcineurin in acetylcholine receptor redistribution in muscle.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 2003 Aug;23(4):587-99.

8:  Peng HB, Yang JF, Dai Z, Lee CW, Hung HW, Feng ZH, Ko CP. Related Articles, Links 
 Differential effects of neurotrophins and schwann cell-derived signals on neuronal survival/growth and synaptogenesis.
J Neurosci. 2003 Jun 15;23(12):5050-60.

10:  DiGregorio DA, Negrete O, Jeromin A, Peng HB, Vergara JL. Related Articles, Links 
 Contact-dependent aggregation of functional Ca2+ channels, synaptic vesicles and postsynaptic receptors in active zones of a neuromuscular junction.
Eur J Neurosci. 2001 Aug;14(3):533-46.

11:  Kaksonen M, Peng HB, Rauvala H. Related Articles, Links 
 Association of cortactin with dynamic actin in lamellipodia and on endosomal vesicles.
J Cell Sci. 2000 Dec;113 Pt 24:4421-6.

12:  Dai Z, Luo X, Xie H, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 The actin-driven movement and formation of acetylcholine receptor clusters.
J Cell Biol. 2000 Sep 18;150(6):1321-34.
 
13:  Lu M, Perez VL, Ma N, Miyamoto K, Peng HB, Liao JK, Adamis AP. Related Articles, Links 
 VEGF increases retinal vascular ICAM-1 expression in vivo.

PMID: 10393052 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
14:  Yang JF, Zhou H, Choi RC, Ip NY, Peng HB, Tsim KW. Related Articles, Links 
 A cysteine-rich form of Xenopus neuregulin induces the expression of acetylcholine receptors in cultured myotubes.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 1999 Jun;13(6):415-29.

15:  Peng HB, Xie H, Rossi SG, Rotundo RL. Related Articles, Links 
 Acetylcholinesterase clustering at the neuromuscular junction involves perlecan and dystroglycan.
J Cell Biol. 1999 May 17;145(4):911-21.

16:  Dai Z, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Fluorescence microscopy of calcium and synaptic vesicle dynamics during synapse formation in tissue culture.
Histochem J. 1998 Mar;30(3):189-96. Review.

17:  Peng HB, Ali AA, Daggett DF, Rauvala H, Hassell JR, Smalheiser NR. Related Articles, Links 
 The relationship between perlecan and dystroglycan and its implication in the formation of the neuromuscular junction.
Cell Adhes Commun. 1998 Sep;5(6):475-89.

18:  Rotundo RL, Rossi SG, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Targeting acetylcholinesterase molecules to the neuromuscular synapse.
J Physiol Paris. 1998 Jun-Aug;92(3-4):195-8. Review.

19:  Peng HB, Spiecker M, Liao JK. Related Articles, Links 
 Inducible nitric oxide: an autoregulatory feedback inhibitor of vascular inflammation.
J Immunol. 1998 Aug 15;161(4):1970-6.

20:  Yang JF, Zhou H, Pun S, Ip NY, Peng HB, Tsim KW. Related Articles, Links 
 Cloning of cDNAs encoding xenopus neuregulin: expression in myotomal muscle during embryo development.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1998 Jul 15;58(1-2):59-73.

21:  Dai Z, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 A role of tyrosine phosphatase in acetylcholine receptor cluster dispersal and formation.
J Cell Biol. 1998 Jun 29;141(7):1613-24.

22:  Kinnunen T, Kaksonen M, Saarinen J, Kalkkinen N, Peng HB, Rauvala H. Related Articles, Links 
 Cortactin-Src kinase signaling pathway is involved in N-syndecan-dependent neurite outgrowth.
J Biol Chem. 1998 Apr 24;273(17):10702-8.

23:  Spiecker M, Peng HB, Liao JK. Related Articles, Links 
 Inhibition of endothelial vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression by nitric oxide involves the induction and nuclear translocation of IkappaBalpha.
J Biol Chem. 1997 Dec 5;272(49):30969-74.

24:  Peng HB, Xie H, Dai Z. Related Articles, Links 
 Association of cortactin with developing neuromuscular specializations.
J Neurocytol. 1997 Oct;26(10):637-50.

25:  Hong YH, Peng HB, La Fata V, Liao JK. Related Articles, Links 
 Hydrogen peroxide-mediated transcriptional induction of macrophage colony-stimulating factor by TGF-beta1.
J Immunol. 1997 Sep 1;159(5):2418-23.

26:  Rauvala H, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 HB-GAM (heparin-binding growth-associated molecule) and heparin-type glycans in the development and plasticity of neuron-target contacts.
Prog Neurobiol. 1997 Jun;52(2):127-44. Review.
 
27:  Zhou H, Muramatsu T, Halfter W, Tsim KW, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 A role of midkine in the development of the neuromuscular junction.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 1997;10(1-2):56-70.

28:  Dai Z, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Dynamics of synaptic vesicles in cultured spinal cord neurons in relationship to synaptogenesis.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 1996 Jun;7(6):443-52.

29:  Shin WS, Hong YH, Peng HB, De Caterina R, Libby P, Liao JK. Related Articles, Links 
 Nitric oxide attenuates vascular smooth muscle cell activation by interferon-gamma. The role of constitutive NF-kappa B activity.
J Biol Chem. 1996 May 10;271(19):11317-24.

30:  Dai Z, Scotland PB, Froehner SC, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Association of phosphotyrosine with rapsyn expression in Xenopus embryonic cells.
Neuroreport. 1996 Jan 31;7(2):657-61.

31:  Daggett DF, Cohen MW, Stone D, Nikolics K, Rauvala H, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 The role of an agrin-growth factor interaction in ACh receptor clustering.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 1996;8(4):272-85.

32:  Daggett DF, Stone D, Peng HB, Nikolics K. Related Articles, Links 
 Full-length agrin isoform activities and binding site distributions on cultured Xenopus muscle cells.
Mol Cell Neurosci. 1996 Jan;7(1):75-88.

33:  Liao JK, Zulueta JJ, Yu FS, Peng HB, Cote CG, Hassoun PM. Related Articles, Links 
 Regulation of bovine endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase by oxygen.
J Clin Invest. 1995 Dec;96(6):2661-6.

34:  Dai Z, Peng HB. Related Articles, Links 
 Presynaptic differentiation induced in cultured neurons by local application of basic fibroblast growth factor.
J Neurosci. 1995 Aug;15(8):5466-75.

35:  Peng HB, Rajavashisth TB, Libby P, Liao JK. Related Articles, Links 
 Nitric oxide inhibits macrophage-colony stimulating factor gene transcription in vascular endothelial cells.
J Biol Chem. 1995 Jul 14;270(28):17050-5.