Objective
How the size and form of an organism are controlled are two fundamental questions in developmental biology. The imaginal eye disc of Drosophila melanogaster provides an excellent model tissue to analyse both of these phenomena at the same time. This project has two goals. First, to analyse how the intercellular signals that drive eye development integrate to regulate proliferation. Second, to use a similar approach to elucidating how cell shape is regulated by signals. The particular development of the eye disc provides the key that makes these two questions amenable to analysis.
A wave of development sweeps from posterior to anterior across this imaginal disc and an indentation known as the morphogenetic furrow (MF) marks the front of this wave. Cells just anterior to the furrow are arrested in G1 phase in a non-differentiated stage. Soon after the passage of the MF, most cells undergo a single round of mitosis, the second mitotic wave (SMW), and start to differentiate. Not only do cells go through this coordinated cell cycle around the MF, they also undergo dramatic changes in cell shape: as they enter the MF they shorten in the apical/basal axis and constrict their apical surfaces. Once the MF has passed they return to more normal columnar epithelial morphology.
The MF movement is controlled by well- characterised intercellular signals and I hope to find the functional link between the reception of these signals and cellular events described above. Specific questions will include how these signals control proliferation and cell shape in the region around the MF. What other genes, like eye pre-pattern transcription factors, are involved in the cell cycle control? What cell adhesion molecules are responsible for the cell shape changes, and how is actin polymerisation controlled in the furrow. Finally, what is the relation between the changes in the cellular form and the cell cycle.
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 cell biology
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
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
LONDON
United Kingdom
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.