Objective
Failure of liver functioning affects millions of people around the world. Despite of this and its known ability to regenerate itself, surprisingly little is understood about the mechanisms guiding both liver regeneration and functioning. A key element in providing liver functionality is the presence of specific cells in the tissue, but also their correct arrangement there. This distinct microarchitecture relies on the correct polarization of cells, e.g. the hepatocytes. The hepatocyte polarization involves the formation of several restricted apical domains per cell, which together create the bile canalicular (BC) network, an essential component for bile secretion and overall liver function. This peculiar structure is currently collecting increasing attention as comprehension of these events will help to understand conditions that cause liver diseases.
As actin remodelling and contraction has been associated with both generation of polarity and organ development, this project will address how actin-based contraction and specific actin-scaffolding/regulating proteins affect the formation of hepatocyte apical domains and BC. Using RNAi and inhibition of the activity of specific proteins (e.g. myosin), confocal microscopy and accompanying high-thoughput image analysis this project aims at identifying key proteins of the actin machinery (e.g. scaffolding and contraction) required for the formation of hepatocyte polarity and the characteristic BC network both in vitro and in vivo. This study will describe how specific molecular components of the actin machinery affect the mechanisms of tissue generation and function, bridging the molecular and cell biology data with the anatomy and physiology of the liver organ. Furthermore, these data will be used by the host collaborators in the Virtual Liver Network project for the development of a large-scale model describing liver functioning from subcellular to tissue to organ levels, which may become clinically relevant.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine anatomy and morphology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine hepatology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy confocal microscopy
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.