Proliferation and morphogenesis in metazoan epithelia A defining feature of multicellular life is the organization of vast numbers of individual cell into highly organized sheets known as epithelia. Within the constraints of the epithelial context, cell proliferation must be precisely controlled and cell morphologies must be tightly regulated. Our lab is broadly interested in understanding how the interplay between proliferation and morphogenesis leads to the proper elaboration of organ and appendage structures during animal development. To address these issues, we use a range of approaches in two different model organisms: the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Specific projects are detailed below. |
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Analysis of growth-defective mutants in Drosophila imaginal discs
Drosophila imaginal disc epithelial morphogenesis
Polarity and proliferation in the basal cnidarian, Nematostella vectensis
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