Dr. Mary MacDougall
Mary MacDougall, PhD
James R. Rosen Chair of Dental Research
Associate Dean for Research & Professor
Director,
Professor, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
1919 7th Avenue South, SDB 702
Birmingham
,
Phone: (205) 996-5122
FAX: (205) 996-5109
Research Focus: Craniofacial molecular biology, human genetics, tissue engineering, adult stem cells.
Research Interests:
Dr. MacDougall’s research centers on the mechanisms which lead to the formation of teeth in particular the various highly specialized dental cell types of the tooth (odontoblasts ameloblasts and cementoblasts) that produce the unique hard mineralized tissues of the tooth dentin, enamel and cemementum. In order to investigating formation of these dental tissues, we are establishing and characterizing unique immortalized mouse and human cell lines which have the ability to retain their cell type, actively proliferate, and form a characteristic hard matrix (dentin, enamel or cementum) in culture. These cell lines are being used to establish the mechanisms that dicate and control tooth-specific gene expression. These studies will determine why certain genes are only expressed in teeth during human development and how this process is regulated at the DNA level. These studies are correlated with genetic studies on human diseases that effect tooth number, shape and structure such as dentinogenesis imperfecta, radicular dentin dysplasia, amelogenesis imperfecta, tooth agenesis, oligodontia and cleidocranial dysplasia. Mutational studies are determining the precise genes and alterations caused each of these diseases using large informative families. Finally, these studies are culminating in tissue engineering approaches to regenerate tooth structures and ultimately whole teeth through characterization of adult dental stem cells.
Recent References: (PubMed link for Mary MacDougall, PhD)
Boland EJ, MacDougall M, Carnes DL, Dickens SH. In vitro cytotoxicity of a remineralizing resin-based calcium phosphate cement. Dental Materials. 22(4):338-45, 2006. Epub 2005 Aug 8.
Li Y, Decker S, Yuan Z,
MacDougall, M. Discovering the future with a smile. J Dent Res. 84(7): 582-3, 2005.
Paine, M.L., Luo, W., Wang, H.J., Bringas, P. Jr., Ngan, A.Y., Miklus, V.G., Zhu, D.H., MacDougall, M. Dentin sialoprotein phosphoprotein over-expression during amelogenesis. J. Biol Chem.280(36):31991-31998, 2005.
Chen S, Rani S, Wu Y, Unterbrink A, Gu TT, Gluhak-Heinrich J, Chuang HH, MacDougall M. Differential regulation of dentin sialophosphoprotein expression by Runx2 during odontoblast cytodifferentiation. J Biol Chem. 280(33):29717-29727, 2005. Epub 2005 Jun 24.
Papagerakis P, Ibarra JM, Inozentseva N, DenBesten P, MacDougall M. Mouse amelogenin exons 8 and 9: sequence analysis and protein distribution. J Dent Res. Jul;84(7):613-7, 2005.
Li Y, Decker S, Yuan ZA, Denbesten PK, Aragon MA, Jordan-Sciutto K, Abrams WR, Huh J, McDonald C, Chen E, MacDougall M, Gibson CW. Effects of sodium fluoride on the actin cytoskeleton of murine ameloblasts. Arch Oral Biol. 2005 Aug;50(8):681-8. Epub 2005 Feb 1.
Dong, J., Amore, D., Aldred, M., Gu, T.T., Escamilla, M., MacDougall, M. DLX3 mutation associated with autosomal dominant amelogenesis imperfecta with taurodontism Am. J. Med Genet 133(2):138-41, 2005.
Chen, S. Santos, L., Wu, Y., Vuong, R., Gay, I., Schulze, J., Chuang H.H., MacDougall, M. Altered gene expression in human cleidocranial dysplasia dental pulp cells. Arch Oral Biol. 50(2):227-36, 2005.
Dong, J., Gu, T.T., Jeffords, L., MacDougall, M. Dentin Phosphoprotein Compound Mutation in Dentin Sialophosphoprotein Causes Dentinogenesis Imperfecta Type III. Am. J. Med Genet 132(3):305-09, 2005.