Lang Lab

Publications

Jiang, X; Pardue, MT; Mori, K; Ikeda, SI; Torii, H; D'Souza, S; Lang, RA; Kurihara, T; Tsubota, K. Violet light suppresses lens-induced myopia via neuropsin (OPN5) in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2021; 118:e2018840118.

Zhang, KX; D'Souza, S; Upton, BA; Kernodle, S; Vemaraju, S; Nayak, G; Gaitonde, KD; Holt, AL; Linne, CD; Smith, AN; Sweeney, A; Sanchez-Gurmaches, J; Seeley, RJ; Lang, RA. Violet-light suppression of thermogenesis by opsin 5 hypothalamic neurons. Nature. 2020; 585:420-425.

Nayak, G; Zhang, KX; Vemaraju, S; Odaka, Y; Buhr, ED; Holt-Jones, A; Kernodle, S; Smith, AN; Upton, BA; D'Souza, S; Seeley, RJ; Van Gelder, RN; Sanchez-Gurmaches, J; Lang, RA. Adaptive Thermogenesis in Mice Is Enhanced by Opsin 3-Dependent Adipocyte Light Sensing. Cell Reports. 2020; 30:672-686.e8.

Buhr, ED; Vemaraju, S; Diaz, N; Lang, RA; Van Gelder, RN. Neuropsin (OPN5) Mediates Local Light-Dependent Induction of Circadian Clock Genes and Circadian Photoentrainment in Exposed Murine Skin. Current Biology. 2019; 29:3478-3487.e4.

Nguyen, MT; Vemaraju, S; Nayak, G; Odaka, Y; Buhr, ED; Alonzo, N; Tran, U; Batie, M; Upton, BA; Darvas, M; Hegde, RS; Iuvone, PM; Van Gelder, RN; Lang, RA. An opsin 5-dopamine pathway mediates light-dependent vascular development in the eye. Nature Cell Biology. 2019; 21:420-429.

Rao, S; Chun, C; Fan, J; Kofron, JM; Yang, MB; Hegde, RS; Ferrara, N; Copenhagen, DR; Lang, RA. A direct and melanopsin-dependent fetal light response regulates mouse eye development. Nature. 2013; 494:243-246.

Chauhan, BK; Lou, M; Zheng, Y; Lang, RA. Balanced Rac1 and RhoA activities regulate cell shape and drive invagination morphogenesis in epithelia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2011; 108:18289-18294.

III, SJ A; Lewkowich, I; Rao, S; Mariggi, G; Carpenter, AC; Burr, AR; Fan, J; Ajima, R; Molkentin, JD; Williams, BO; Yamaguchi, T; Ferrara, N; Gerhardt, H; Lang, RA. Regulation of angiogenesis by a non-canonical Wnt-Flt1 pathway in myeloid cells. Nature. 2011; 474:511-515.

Lin, S; Li, B; Rao, S; Yeo, E; Hudson, TE; Nowlin, BT; Pei, H; Chen, L; Zheng, JJ; Carroll, TJ; Pollard, JW; McMahon, AP; Lang, RA; Duffield, JS. Macrophage Wnt7b is critical for kidney repair and regeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2010; 107:4194-4199.

Lobov, IB; Rao, S; Carroll, TJ; Vallance, JE; Ito, M; Ondr, JK; Kurup, S; Glass, DA; Patel, MS; Shu, WG; Morrisey, EE; McMahon, AP; Karsenty, G; Lang, RA. WNT7b mediates macrophage-induced programmed cell death in patterning of the vasculature. Nature. 2005; 437:417-421.

LANG, RA; BISHOP, JM. Macrophages are required for cell death and tissue remodeling in the developing mouse eye. Cell. 1993; 74:453-462.

LANG, RA; METCALF, D; CUTHBERTSON, RA; LYONS, I; STANLEY, E; KELSO, A; KANNOURAKIS, G; WILLIAMSON, DJ; KLINTWORTH, GK; GONDA, TJ; DUNN, AR. Transgenic mice expressing a hemopoietic growth factor gene (GM-CSF) develop accumulations of macrophages, blindness, and a fatal syndrome of tissue damage. Cell. 1988; 51:675-686.

LANG, RA; METCALF, D; GOUGH, NM; DUNN, AR; GONDA, TJ. Expression of a hemopoietic growth factor cDNA in a factor-dependent cell line results in autonomous growth and tumorigenicity. Cell. 1985; 43:531-542.

Lapajne, L; Lakk, M; Rudzitis, CN; Vemaraju, S; Lang, RA; Hawlina, M; Križaj, D. Neuropsin, TRPV4 and intracellular calcium mediate intrinsic photosensitivity in corneal epithelial cells. The Ocular Surface. 2025; 36:1-9.

Haddad, HK; Mercado-Reyes, JI; Mustafá, ER; D’Souza, SP; Chung, CS; Nestor, RR M; Olinski, LE; Damonte, VM; Saskin, J; Vemaraju, S; Raingo, J; Kauer, JA; Lang, RA; Oancea, E. Hypothalamic opsin 3 suppresses MC4R signaling and potentiates Kir7.1 to promote food consumption. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2025; 122:e2403891122.

Vemaraju, S; Rao, S; Lang, RA. Formation and Regression of the Primary Vitreous and Hyaloid Vascular System. Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. : Elsevier; Elsevier; 2025.

D'Souza, SP; Upton, BA; Eldred, KC; Glass, I; Nayak, G; Grover, K; Ahmed, A; Nguyen, MT; Hu, YC; Gamlin, P; Lang, RA. Developmental control of rod number via a light-dependent retrograde pathway from intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Developmental Cell. 2024; 59:2897-2911.e6.

Dyer, B; Yu, SO; Brown, RL; Lang, RA; D'Souza, SP. Defining spatial nonuniformities of all ipRGC types using an improved Opn4cre recombinase mouse line. Cell Reports: Methods. 2024; 4:100837.

Schrenk, S; Bischoff, LJ; Goines, J; Cai, Y; Vemaraju, S; Odaka, Y; Good, SR; Palumbo, JS; Szabo, S; Reynaud, D; Van Raamsdonk, CD; Lang, RA; Boscolo, E. MEK inhibition reduced vascular tumor growth and coagulopathy in a mouse model with hyperactive GNAQ. Nature Communications. 2023; 14:1929.

Greenberg, JM; Gruner, KA; Rodney, L; Struve, JN; Kang, D; Cao, Y; Lang, RA. Biologically aware lighting for newborn intensive care. Journal of Perinatology. 2023; 43:49-54.

Liang, JH; Akhanov, V; Ho, A; Tawfik, M; D'Souza, SP; Cameron, MA; Lang, RA; Samuel, MA. Dopamine signaling from ganglion cells directs layer-specific angiogenesis in the retina. Current Biology. 2023; 33:3821-3834.e5.

Andrabi, M; Upton, BA; Lang, RA; Vemaraju, S. An Expanding Role for Nonvisual Opsins in Extraocular Light Sensing Physiology. Annual Review of Vision Science. 2023; 9:245-267.

Linne, C; Mon, KY; D’souza, S; Jeong, H; Jiang, X; Brown, DM; Zhang, K; Vemaraju, S; Tsubota, K; Kurihara, T; Pardue, MT; Lang, RA. Encephalopsin (OPN3) is required for normal refractive development and the GO/GROW response to induced myopia. Molecular Vision. 2023; 29:39-57.

Gaitonde1,2, KD; Andrabi, M; Burger, CA; D'Souza, SP; Vemaraju, S; Koritala, BS C; Smith, DF; Lang, RA. Diurnal regulation of metabolism by Gs-alpha in hypothalamic QPLOT neurons. Editor, Foulkes NS. PloS one. 2023; 18:e0284824.

Gonzalez, LS; Fisher, AA; D'Souza, SP; Cotella, EM; Lang, RA; Robinson, JE. Ventral striatum dopamine release encodes unique properties of visual stimuli in mice. eLife. 2023; 12:e85064.

Burger, CA; Lang, RA. Illuminating brain development. Cell Research. 2023; 33:89-90.

Houser, KW; Heschong, L; Lang, R. Buildings, Lighting, and the Myopia Epidemic. LEUKOS - Journal of Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. 2023; 19:1-3.

McCauley, HA; Riedman, AM; Enriquez, JR; Zhang, X; Watanabe-Chailland, M; Sanchez, JG; Kechele, DO; Paul, EF; Riley, K; Burger, C; Lang, RA; Wells, JM. Enteroendocrine Cells Protect the Stem Cell Niche by Regulating Crypt Metabolism in Response to Nutrients. CMGH Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2023; 15:1293-1310.

Jidigam, VK; Sawant, OB; Fuller, RD; Wilcots, K; Singh, R; Lang, RA; Rao, S. Neuronal Bmal1 regulates retinal angiogenesis and neovascularization in mice. Communications Biology. 2022; 5:792.

Enriquez, JR; McCauley, HA; Zhang, KX; Sanchez, JG; Kalin, GT; Lang, RA; Wells, JM. A dietary change to a high-fat diet initiates a rapid adaptation of the intestine. Cell Reports. 2022; 41:111641.

Upton, BA; Nayak, G; Schweinzger, I; D’souza, SP; Vorhees, CV; Williams, MT; Earl, BR; Lang, RA. Comprehensive Behavioral Analysis of Opsin 3 (Encephalopsin)-Deficient Mice Identifies Role in Modulation of Acoustic Startle Reflex. eNeuro. 2022; 9:eneuro.0202-eneu22.2022.

Díaz, NM; Gordon, SA; Lang, RA; Buhr, ED. Circadian Oscillations in the Murine Preoptic Area Are Reset by Temperature, but Not Light. Frontiers in Physiology. 2022; 13:934591.

D'Souza, SP; Swygart, DI; Wienbar, SR; Upton, BA; Zhang, KX; Mackin, RD; Casasent, AK; Samuel, MA; Schwartz, GW; Lang, RA. Retinal patterns and the cellular repertoire of neuropsin (Opn5) retinal ganglion cells. The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 2022; 530:1247-1262.

Dan, W; Park, GH; Vemaraju, S; Wu, AD; Perez, K; Rao, M; Berkowitz, DE; Lang, RA; Yim, PD. Light-Mediated Inhibition of Colonic Smooth Muscle Constriction and Colonic Motility via Opsin 3. Frontiers in Physiology. 2021; 12:744294.

Nakamura, Y; Ueno, M; Niehaus, JK; Lang, RA; Zheng, Y; Yoshida, Y. Modulation of Both Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Additively Promotes Rewiring of Corticospinal Circuits after Spinal Cord Injury. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2021; 41:10247-10260.

Davies, WI L; Sghari, S; Upton, BA; Nord, C; Hahn, M; Ahlgren, U; Lang, RA; Gunhaga, L. Distinct Opsin 3 (Opn3) Expression in the Developing Nervous System during Mammalian Embryogenesis. eNeuro. 2021; 8:ENEURO.0141-ENEU21.2021.

Jiang, X; Pardue, MT; Mori, K; Ikeda, SI; Torii, H; D'Souza, S; Lang, RA; Kurihara, T; Tsubota, K. Violet light suppresses lens-induced myopia via neuropsin (OPN5) in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 2021; 118:e2018840118.

Upton, BA; D’Souza, SP; Lang, RA. QPLOT Neurons-Converging on a Thermoregulatory Preoptic Neuronal Population. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2021; 15:665762.

Upton, BA; Díaz, NM; Gordon, SA; Van Gelder, RN; Buhr, ED; Lang, RA. Evolutionary Constraint on Visual and Nonvisual Mammalian Opsins. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 2021; 36:109-126.

Wu, AD; Dan, W; Zhang, Y; Vemaraju, S; Upton, BA; Lang, RA; Buhr, ED; Berkowitz, DE; Gallos, G; Emala, CW; Yim, PD. Opsin 3-Gαs Promotes Airway Smooth Muscle Relaxation Modulated by G Protein Receptor Kinase 2. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 2021; 64:59-68.