Obiettivo Signalling between cells regulates many aspects of their behaviour. Although much work has focused on proteins, bioactive lipids also have potent effects on cells. In Drosophila lipid signalling is implicated in guiding migrating germ cells. The germ cells, which later will become sperm or eggs, undergo a stereotyped migration during embryogenesis to reach the gonad. Enzymes of the lipid phosphate phosphatase (LPP) class are expressed in regions of the embryo that germ cells normally avoid and serve to repel germ cells and regulate their survival. Later in embryonic development these enzymes are also expressed in a subset of Drosophila heart cells and are required for correct development of the heart. These data suggest that extracellular lipids are regulating the behaviour of both germ and heart cells. The aims of this project are several-fold: Firstly to discover the extracelluar lipid that is responsible for the behaviour of these two cell types. Secondly to discern it’s mode of action, in particular what are the molecular players that are necessary to detect this lipid and how they link to known pathways that regulate cell migration. The final goal is to find out if these roles are conserved outside of Drosophila. This research is important because the LPP enzymes are highly conserved in evolution but a full understanding of their function in any developmental paradigm is lacking. Secondly a number of in vitro substrate of LPPs have been shown to have important signalling roles. For example sphingosine 1-phosphate acts extracellularly to influence lymphocyte circulation and endothelial cell migration during vascular development in mice. To what extent LPPs modulate these activities is unclear. Information gained by studying lipids in model organisms will lead to a better understanding of the developmental processes of heart formation and germ cell migration and will identify new bioactive lipids that may have more widespread signalling functions. Campo scientifico natural sciencesbiological sciencesdevelopmental biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Parole chiave Animal embryology Cell biology Programma(i) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Argomento(i) PEOPLE-2007-4-3.IRG - Marie Curie Action: "International Reintegration Grants" Invito a presentare proposte FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG Vedi altri progetti per questo bando Meccanismo di finanziamento MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG) Coordinatore MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV Contributo UE € 100 000,00 Indirizzo HOFGARTENSTRASSE 8 80539 Munchen Germania Mostra sulla mappa Regione Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Tipo di attività Research Organisations Contatto amministrativo Andrew Renault (Dr.) Collegamenti Contatta l’organizzazione Opens in new window Sito web Opens in new window Costo totale Nessun dato