05-11-2021

Seminario de Investigación: Protocadherins -at the crossroad of adhesion and cell fate in the early brain development

Andrzej Cwetsch. Departamento de Biología Celular, Universidad de Valencia

Andrzej Cwetsch. Departamento de Biología Celular, Universidad de Valencia

Resumen: Cell adhesion molecules (CAM) are well known for their function in binding of cells to other cells. This process, called adhesion is crucial for the maintenance of correct tissue structure and function. Indeed, dysregulation of number of CAM has been reported in multiple pathologies such as neurodevelopmental disorders or cancer.

In the developing central nervous system, a subgroup of CAMs, Protocadherins (Pcdhs), show particular patterns of expression, that would correlate with some of the transcription factors domains. Thus, suggesting of the potential role of Pcdhs in the organization of transcription factor centres. By using in utero electroporation technique combined with ectopic gene expression manipulations we were able to point to Pcdh8, as important, yet unexpected, player in the regulation of some transcription factor expression and final allocation of cell fate.

Our work showed the synergistic role of cell adhesion molecules and transcription factors in regulation of postmitotic fate and organization of the developing brain.

Bio: Andrzej W Cwetsch graduated in Cell Biology at the Jagiellonian University of Cracow, Poland, in 2013, with a thesis on the modulation of stem cells in the bone regeneration. He received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Brain Technologies from Italian Institute of Technology (Genoa) in 2017, under the supervision of Dr. Laura Cancedda. In Genoa, he investigated the role of cell adhesion molecules, in particular Protocadherin 19, in the neurodevelopmental pathologies such as epilepsy and autism. In 2017, he moved to Paris to work in two Institutes: Imagine Institute and Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience in Dr. Alessandra Pierani’s laboratories. He focused his studies on early steps of brain formation and potential role of cell adhesion molecules in progenitor cell segregation and fate determination. Starting from 2022, he will join the group of Prof Isabel Fariñas at the University of Valencia as a young emergent group leader.

Fecha y Hora: viernes 5 de noviembre. 12:30 horas.

Lugar: Seminario IV

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