Developmental cell biology and genetics

The core problem in developmental biology is how spatial asymmetry is established to enable single cells to form complex tissues and entire organisms. We study this problem in a variety of single cell or of multicellular systems.

The origin of spatial asymmetry in development is the ability of a progenitor cell (a fertilized egg or stem cell) to produce daughter cells that differentiate along genetically controlled pathways. A multitude of mechanisms exist to allow differentiating cells and groups of cells to achieve high degrees of cellular asymmetry. A dramatic example of spatial asymmetry at the single cell level is the neuron, with its extended axonal and dendritic processes. How is such spatial asymmetry generated and maintained? This question is fundamentally one of cell morphogenesis and polarity, of particular interest to several labs investigating the sorting mechanisms that target mRNAs, proteins, or organelles to different regions within a cell, or how the directionality of axonal migration is controlled. Other labs are investigating the problem of spatial organization posed by groups of cells. For example, how do different cell types arise in a precise spatial pattern as in a developing embryo, tissue or organ? This question is at the heart of ongoing studies on the signaling and other molecular mechanisms that determine cell fate and coordinate the development and behavior of cells in multicellular communities. We use a variety of experimental systems, from mammalian neurons and cells to yeast, Drosophila, and the mouse, and exploit the power of genetics and innovative cell biological methods to investigate central issues in contemporary developmental biology.

Investigators in this research area

Lynn Cooley
Carl Hashimoto
Haifan Lin
Elke Stein
Peter Takizawa
Sandra Wolin