About

Hélène Cousin is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at UMass Amherst. She holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from Université Paris VI (Sorbonne University), earned in 2000, with prior degrees including a B.S. in Physiology and Cell Biology and a Master’s in Developmental Biology from the same institution. Her doctoral research focused on the function of proteins ADAM13 and PACSIN 2 during neural crest cell migration, which is critical for craniofacial development. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Virginia, focusing on gastrulation, and at UMass Amherst, concentrating on craniofacial development. Dr. Cousin's scholarly interests include science communication and education. She is actively involved in writing new anatomy, physiology, and development textbooks designed for students, with a focus on the South African frog Xenopus laevis. Her goal is to create accessible, active-learning materials that highlight organ development, anatomy, and physiology, complemented by scientific illustrations and video recordings. She aims to develop a series of textbooks covering various species used at UMass farms, starting with poultry, and encourages undergraduate involvement in literature review and science communication projects. In addition to her research and educational pursuits, she teaches courses such as Anatomy and Physiology, Poultry Management, and Embryology.

Research topics

• Cell biology
• Biology
• Genetics
• Anatomy
• Cancer research
• Immunology

Selected publications

• Adam13 interacts with large protein complexes to regulate histone modification and gene expression

  Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology · 2026-05-07

  articleOpen access

  Cranial neural crest (CNC) cells are a key stem cell like tissue that contribute to most of the facial structures in vertebrates. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) family of proteins is essential for the induction and migration of the CNC. We have shown that Adam13 interacts with the transcription factor Arid3a to regulate gene expression; we show that Adam13 modulates histone modifications in the CNC and that Arid3a binding to the tfap2α promoter is dependent on the presence of Adam13. These associations promote the expression of a certain tfap2α variant expressed in the CNC that uniquely activates the expression of genes critical to CNC migration. Furthermore, we show that both Adam13 and human ADAM9 are associated with proteins involved in histone modifications and RNA splicing (a function critically affected by the loss of Adam13). Thus, we propose that ADAMs may act as extracellular sensors to modulate chromatin availability, leading to changes in gene expression and splicing.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• ADAM Proteins Bridge Extracellular Signals and Epigenetic Control to Regulate Gene Expression in Cranial Neural Crest Cells

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Author Reply to Peer Reviews of ADAM Proteins Bridge Extracellular Signals and Epigenetic Control to Regulate Gene Expression in Cranial Neural Crest Cells

  2025-11-19

  peer-review
  PublisherDOI

• <b>Bilateral phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in a pet rabbit with cataracts</b>

  Open Veterinary Journal · 2024-01-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  <b>Background:</b> The occurrence of cataracts in rabbits is a common reason for consultation in veterinary ophthalmology. <b>Case Description: </b> A 6-year-old female Lop rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was referred with a 3-month history of bilateral cataracts. The owner noted that the rabbit was frequently bumping into obstacles. Physical examination was unremarkable. Routine hemogram and biochemistry panel were within usual values, and Encephalitozoon cuniculi was not detected by serology. A complete ophthalmological examination revealed bilateral hypermature cataracts causing total blindness. Bilateral tonometry showed normal intraocular pressures. Electroretinography under general anesthesia revealed strong photoreceptor responses for each eye, and ocular ultrasound was normal except for bilateral hypermature cataracts. Following electroretinography, during the same anesthesia session, conventional phacoemulsification followed by acrylic intraocular lens (IOL; +58D) implantation was performed uneventfully in both eyes. Follow-up examinations were carried out for one year. Except for immediate post-operative bilateral corneal ulcers that were quickly cured with medical treatment, no other post-operative complications were observed. The one-year follow-up examination revealed centered IOLs without posterior capsular opacity, enabling the observation of normal fundus in both eyes. The owner confirmed the rabbit had normal autonomy and moved with accuracy, as observed during follow-up visits and on videos provided by the owner. <b>Conclusion: </b> To our knowledge, this is the first described case of successful bilateral phacoemulsification and bilateral intraocular lens implantation with prior electroretinographic evaluation of the retinal function in a pet rabbit with cataracts.

  PublisherDOI

• ADAM interact with large protein complexes to regulate Histone modification, gene expression and splicing

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2024-08-19

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract Cranial neural crest (CNC) cells are key stem cells that contribute to most of the facial structures in vertebrates. ADAM ( A D isintegrin A nd M etalloprotease) proteins are essential for the induction and migration of the CNC. We have shown that Adam13 associates with the transcription factor Arid3a to regulate gene expression. Here we show that Adam13 modulates Histone modifications in the CNC. We show that Arid3a binding to the tfap2α promoter depends on the presence of Adam13. This association promotes the expression of one tfap2α variant expressed in the CNC that uniquely activates the expression of gene critical for CNC migration. We show that both Adam13 and human ADAM9 associate with proteins involved in histone modification and RNA splicing, a function critically affected by the loss of Adam13. We propose that ADAMs may act as extracellular sensors to modulate chromatin availability, leading to changes in gene expression and splicing.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• ADAM11 a novel regulator of Wnt and BMP4 signaling in neural crest and cancer

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2023-06-15

  preprintOpen access

  Cranial neural crest (CNC) cells are induced at the border of the neural plate by a combination of FGF, Wnt, and BMP4 signaling. CNC then migrate ventrally and invade ventral structures where they contribute to craniofacial development. Here we show that a non-proteolytic ADAM, Adam11, originally identified as a putative tumor suppressor binds to proteins of the Wnt and BMP4 signaling pathway. Mechanistic studies concerning these non-proteolytic ADAM lack almost entirely. We show that Adam11 positively regulates BMP4 signaling while negatively regulating β-catenin activity. By modulating these pathways, Adam11 controls the timing of neural tube closure and the proliferation and migration of CNC. Using both human tumor data and mouse B16 melanoma cells, we further show that ADAM11 levels similarly correlate with Wnt or BMP4 activation levels. We propose that ADAM11 preserve naïve cells by maintaining low Sox3 and Snail/Slug levels through stimulation of BMP4 and repression of Wnt signaling, while loss of ADAM11 results in increased Wnt signaling, increased proliferation and early epithelium to mesenchyme transition.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• ADAM11 a novel regulator of Wnt and BMP4 signaling in neural crest and cancer

  Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology · 2023 · 9 citations

  • Biology
  • Cell biology
  • Cancer research

  We propose that ADAM11 preserves naïve cells by maintaining low Sox3 and Snail/Slug levels through stimulation of BMP4 and repression of Wnt signaling, while loss of ADAM11 results in increased Wnt signaling, increased proliferation and early epithelium to mesenchyme transition.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Bop1 is required to establish precursor domains of craniofacial tissues

  genesis · 2023-11-16 · 3 citations

  letterOpen access

  Bop1 can promote cell proliferation and is a component of the Pes1-Bop1-WDR12 (PeBoW) complex that regulates ribosomal RNA processing and biogenesis. In embryos, however, bop1 mRNA is highly enriched in the neural plate, cranial neural crest and placodes, and potentially may interact with Six1, which also is expressed in these tissues. Recent work demonstrated that during development, Bop1 is required for establishing the size of the tadpole brain, retina and cranial cartilages, as well as controlling neural tissue gene expression levels. Herein, we extend this work by assessing the effects of Bop1 knockdown at neural plate and larval stages. Loss of Bop1 expanded neural plate gene expression domains (sox2, sox11, irx1) and reduced neural crest (foxd3, sox9), placode (six1, sox11, irx1, sox9) and epidermal (dlx5) expression domains. At larval stages, Bop1 knockdown reduced the expression of several otic vesicle genes (six1, pax2, irx1, sox9, dlx5, otx2, tbx1) and branchial arch genes that are required for chondrogenesis (sox9, tbx1, dlx5). The latter was not the result of impaired neural crest migration. Together these observations indicate that Bop1 is a multifunctional protein that in addition to its well-known role in ribosomal biogenesis functions during early development to establish the craniofacial precursor domains.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Zmym4 is required for early cranial gene expression and craniofacial cartilage formation

  Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology · 2023-10-03 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Introduction: The Six1 transcription factor plays important roles in the development of cranial sensory organs, and point mutations underlie craniofacial birth defects. Because Six1’s transcriptional activity can be modulated by interacting proteins, we previously screened for candidate interactors and identified zinc-finger MYM-containing protein 4 (Zmym4) by its inclusion of a few domains with a bona fide cofactor, Sine oculis binding protein (Sobp). Although Zmym4 has been implicated in regulating early brain development and certain cancers, its role in craniofacial development has not previously been described. Methods: We used co-immunoprecipitation and luciferase-reporter assays in cultured cells to test interactions between Zmym4 and Six1. We used knock-down and overexpression of Zmym4 in embryos to test for its effects on early ectodermal gene expression, neural crest migration and craniofacial cartilage formation. Results: We found no evidence that Zmym4 physically or transcriptionally interacts with Six1 in cultured cells. Nonetheless, knockdown of endogenous Zmym4 in embryos resulted in altered early cranial gene expression, including those expressed in the neural border, neural plate, neural crest and preplacodal ectoderm. Experimentally increasing Zmym4 levels had minor effects on neural border or neural plate genes, but altered the expression of neural crest and preplacodal genes. At larval stages, genes expressed in the otic vesicle and branchial arches showed reduced expression in Zmym4 morphants. Although we did not detect defects in neural crest migration into the branchial arches, loss of Zmym4 resulted in aberrant morphology of several craniofacial cartilages. Discussion: Although Zmym4 does not appear to function as a Six1 transcriptional cofactor, it plays an important role in regulating the expression of embryonic cranial genes in tissues critical for normal craniofacial development.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mcrs1 is required for branchial arch and cranial cartilage development

  Developmental Biology · 2022 · 4 citations

  • Biology
  • Cell biology
  • Anatomy
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Role of Lbh during craniofacial development of vertebrates

  NIH · $227k · 2016–2019

Frequent coauthors

• Dominique Alfandari

  University of Massachusetts Amherst

  41 shared

• Alban Gaultier

  University of Virginia

  20 shared

• Thierry Darribère

  Sorbonne Université

  12 shared

• Douglas W. DeSimone

  University of Virginia

  9 shared

• Catherine McCusker

  University of Massachusetts Boston

  8 shared

• Anna Hudson

  7 shared

• William L. Casley

  Health Canada

  7 shared

• George C. Ebers

  University of Oxford

  7 shared

Labs

• Department of Veterinary and Animal SciencesPI