Descripción del proyecto
Revelación de las interacciones celulares durante el desarrollo
Las células de la cresta neural son un grupo temporal de células del embrión en desarrollo que generarán diferentes tejidos. Dichas células migran por diferentes vías en las que encuentran microambientes que se cree que desempeñan un papel clave en la determinación del destino celular. El equipo del proyecto CELLMATES, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, está interesado en describir estas interacciones intercelulares a nivel transcripcional. Mediante un enfoque novedoso, los investigadores obtendrán información transcriptómica sobre el microambiente e identificarán su papel funcional en las decisiones sobre el destino de las células. Los resultados contribuirán a ampliar la comprensión de las interacciones celulares en el espacio y en el tiempo.
Objetivo
Multicellular life relies on coordinated physical interactions and communication between cells. In these interactions, cells exchange information that determines their fate, physiological state and behavior. The substantial transcriptional heterogeneity that is evident even among cells considered the same type, however, raises questions about exactly which temporal and spatial interactions regulate development and homeostasis. During development, for instance, multipotent neural crest cells migrate along different pathways in which they encounter microenvironments that are thought to instruct their migration and fate choices. To ultimately reveal how cell communication shapes cell identities and cellular decisions, we need to know the transcriptional state of a cell and that of its neighbors. Current technologies either sequence single cells at high transcriptional resolution or localize cells in their spatial context but without capturing their precise transcriptional configuration. To overcome these limitations, we will establish a novel approach that provides high-resolution transcriptomic information on cellular microenvironments. We will use this approach to uncover the interactions and communication codes that neural crest cells are exposed to along their developmental path. In addition, we will develop strategies to systematically identify cell-cell interactions likely to determine migration and cell fate decisions, and elucidate their functional role in the developing embryo. Our overall goal is to uncover how the diversity of cell interactions orchestrates the development of a complex cell lineage. This approach and the insights obtained here will provide a foundation for studying how cells interact in other systems such as human tissues, and how these interactions are altered in disease.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitución de acogida
10117 Berlin
Alemania