Objective
Cellular metaplasia may occur by transdifferentiation of one mature cell type into another, sometimes via an intermediate state of dedifferentiation. This type of cellular plasticity seems to be found in adult pancreatic acinar cells. The loss of differentiation may turn the acinar cells in facultative stem cells in the adult pancreas. Both in regeneration of exocrine as well as endocrine tissue and in pancreatic disease states, this type of acinar-derived precursor cells has found to be implicated. Therefore, the different steps in acinar cell transdifferentiation and the signalling pathways and molecular mechanisms governing the process need to be investigated in depth. Before, we have developed an in vitro system to dissect different steps in acinar cell transdifferentiation starting from purified mouse acinar cells. This system permits to accurately evaluate changes in gene and protein expression during the different stages of acinar cell transdifferentiation, and when perturbing specific signalling mechanisms (using chemical inhibitors, RNA interference or using cells from genetically modified mice). Our study will be focused on Notch and Ras signalling events, and the role of caveolae as a higher hierarchical platform to integrate these signalling pathways. Results will be further validated in an in vivo experimental model of acino-to-ductal transdifferentiation, based on ligation of pancreatic ducts. We will also investigate a possible molecular switch of RBPs (recombining binding protein suppressor of hairless RBP-Jk and its paralogue RBP-L) and the genes targeted by it, when the cultured acinar cells convert into precursor-like cells. Knowledge on acinar cell plasticity can be used to prevent acinar cell de- and transdifferentiation in pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and can exploited for forced transdifferentiation towards endocrine beta-cells.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology pancreatic cancer
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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-2007-2-2-ERG
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
1050 BRUSSEL
Belgium
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.