In developmental biology, we study how complexity is achieved from simplicity. A single cell embryo manages to give rise to all of the different types of cells found in the whole organism through a series of cell fate decisions.
Our lab is interested in how stem/progenitor cells make their decisions about whether to stay in the stem/progenitor state or to differentiate into specific types of differentiated cells. In most cases, these cell fate decisions are controlled by several major signaling pathways, such as the Wnt and Notch pathways. We investigate how these pathways regulate cell fate decisions during development. Currently, we are focusing on cell fate regulation during the organogenesis of the kidney and bladder.
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Nephron progenitors express Six2, a transcription factor that is required for progenitor self-renewal. Differentiation of nephron progenitors is induced by Wnt/b-catenin and Notch signals. We have shown that Six2 represses differentiation of nephron progenitors by preventing Wnt/b-catenin signaling from activating key differentiation genes, such as Fgf8 and Wnt4. Once expression of Six2 is downregulated, nephron progenitors undergo differentiation by responding to Wnt/b-catenin and Notch signals.
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