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SUMMARY:Going out on a limb to study mechanisms controlling organ size and
  proportions - Alberto Rosell-Diez\, PDN University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20231109T160000Z
DTEND:20231109T170000Z
UID:TALK208330@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Elena Scarpa
DESCRIPTION:In our group we wonder how developing organs "know" how much t
 hey must grow in order to attain and maintain species-specific body propor
 tions\, and how this collective outcome emerges from the combination of in
 dividual cell behaviours. We use the vertebrate limb as a model\, and whil
 e long bones in the limbs are our starting point\, we also study how they 
 crosstalk with other connective tissues and with distant organs. In this t
 alk\, I will provide a taste of three main projects:\n \nCellular and mole
 cular mechanisms of catch-up growth\nOne powerful approach to study the re
 gulation of organ size is analysing how organs recover a normal growth tra
 jectory after a developmental insult\, which is known as catch-up growth. 
 Using lineage tracing and genomics approaches\, we are unveiling new mecha
 nisms that trigger the compensatory response upon insult.\n \nIdentifying 
 the sizostat (a thermostat for size)\nClassic experiments suggested that t
 here is a target bone-size-for-age\, and that a feedback mechanism informs
  cartilage cells of bone size. We think that this mechanism works as a the
 rmostat\, and we are exploring the underlying biophysical and molecular me
 chanisms.\n \nUsing inter-species chimeras to identify the determinants of
  limb size\nA classic approach to distinguish between intrinsic and extrin
 sic determinants of organ development is to cause the organ to develop in 
 the body of a different species. We are striving to generate chimeric anim
 als in which rat or jerboa stem cells will give rise to the limb tissues i
 n the context of a mouse embryo\, in order to study the gene regulatory re
 gions involved in size adaptation.\n \nI will discuss how these projects  
 not only address fundamental knowledge gaps\, but may also provide new ave
 nues for growth therapies and regenerative medicine.\n 
LOCATION:Hodgkin Huxley Seminar Room\, Physiology builiding\, Downing Site
  CB2 3EG
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