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SUMMARY:Mitochondrial fusion in neural stem cell differentiation in Drosop
 hila development - Professor Richa Rikhy\, Indian Institute of Science Edu
 cation and Research (IISER)\, Pune\, India
DTSTART:20231018T140000Z
DTEND:20231018T150000Z
UID:TALK204703@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Lisa Arnold
DESCRIPTION:Mitochondrial dynamics in the form of fusion and fission have 
 been shown to be essential for stem cell differentiation and embryogenesis
 . Loss of mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins leads to an abrogation
  of embryo development in many organisms. We have been studying the role o
 f mitochondrial dynamics in regulating stem cell differentiation and embry
 ogenesis using Drosophila as a model system. We have found that mitochondr
 ial fusion\, and not mitochondrial fission\, plays a crucial role in regul
 ating neural stem differentiation in Drosophila. Mitochondrial fusion prot
 ein Opa1 is important for cell division and differentiation in the type II
  neural stem cell lineage. Forced fusion of mitochondria by depleting mito
 chondrial fission protein Drp1 along with Opa1 restores the differentiatio
 n defect. Our studies show that mitochondrial fusion and activity regulate
 d by Opa1 play a role in differentiation. The mechanisms by which mitochon
 drial morphology and activity interact during neural stem differentiation 
 remain to be investigated. To this end\, we have used the genetic and cell
 ular approach to find a functional interaction between electron transport 
 chain complexes and mitochondrial fusion in neural stem cell differentiati
 on. I will present our recent analysis of the role of mitochondrial activi
 ty and morphology in coordinating activities of differentiation in neural 
 stem cells in Drosophila. 
LOCATION:MRC MBU\, Level 7 Lecture Theatre\, The Keith Peters Building\, C
 B2 0XY
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