Biophysics Seminar Series: Paul Kulesa, Stowers Institute
Mechanisms of long distance cell migration.
Migratory cells travel through many different microenvironments to pattern structures in the vertebrate embryo. One example is the neural crest, a multipotent, highly migratory cell population that travels long distances to contribute to head, heart, and trunk development. Cell lineage tracing has mapped neural crest cell migratory pathways and the time during which cells travel to peripheral targets. However, the mechanisms that direct neural crest cells over long distances are unclear.
We present an example that highlights the migration of neural crest cells to form the ver- tebrate sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Mistakes during neural crest migration and their SNS differentiation program contribute to birth defects that affect respiratory function and may result in neuroblastoma, an aggressive pediatric cancer. We present novel insights of chick neural crest cell migratory behaviors and dynamic gene expression changes during SNS formation, collected from in vivo dynamic imaging and gene profiling. We evaluate model mechanisms, using an agent-based approach, and discuss the results of closely integrated experiments and theory that lead us to a simple, mechanistic model of long distance cell migration.
Audience: Being held in CARL ICAHN LAB Room 200!! Biophysics faculty, post docs, grad students, fellows.
Location: Other See Notes
Date/Time: 09/24/12 at 11:45 am - 09/24/12 at 1:00 pm
This will be held in CARL ICAHN Room 200.
Lunch 11:45, Seminar 12-1.
Category: Biophysics Seminar
Department: Physics