Projet ANR-07-BLAN-0075 – CELL POLARIZA : Cell Polarization in Drosophila
Programme : Blanc (BLANC) 2007
Année de financement : 2007
Coordinateur du projet : Monsieur Yohanns BELLAICHE (CNRS DELEGATION PARIS)
Partenaires : Centre national de la recherche scientifique
Montant : 268000.0 euros
Date de début : 2007
Durée : 36 mois
Résumé : Cell polarity is fundamental to many aspects of cell and developmental biology and it is implicated in differentiation, proliferation and morphogenesis in both unicellular and multicellular organisms.  -  We are studying the mechanisms that regulate cell polarity during both asymmetric cell division and epithelial cell polarization in Drosophila. To understand these fundamental processes, we are currently using two complementary approaches. Firstly, we are coupling genetic tools to state of the art time-lapse microscopy to genetically dissect the mechanisms of cell fate determinant localization, mitotic spindle orientation and polarized exocytosis. Secondly, we are introducing two innovative methodologies into the fields of cell and developmental biology: 1) single molecule imaging during asymmetric cell division to unravel the mechanism of polarized protein distribution within the cell; 2) multi-scale tensor analysis of epithelial tissues to describe and understand how epithelial tissues grow, acquire and maintain their shape and organization during development. These two approaches are aided by the collaborations I have developed with the M. Dahan's laboratory at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. -  Using both conventional and innovative methodologies, our goals over the next three years are to better understand how molecules and protein complexes are moved and activated at different locations within the cell and how cell polarization impacts on epithelial tissue growth and morphogenesis. Since the mechanisms underlying cell polarization are conserved throughout evolution, the proposed experiments will improve our understanding of these processes not only in Drosophila, but in all animals. -                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ...