Understanding how a cell becomes specified to differentiate into a particular type is a fundamental question in developmental biology.
Differentiation generally results from the expression of cell type-specific genes.
Our approach is to gain access to the mechanisms that specify cell fate by biochemically identifying factors controlling cell type-specific gene expression. Once these factors are identified, we can then ask how they function during development by characterizing mutations affecting them. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides an ideal system for these analyses. Although it is anatomically simple, C. elegans contains many of the differentiated cell types found in more complex eukaryotes. The lineage and fate of each cell are known, making examination of gene expression with single cell resolution possible.