Email this pageMammalian Organogenesis
Project Overview
Development of all organs involves precisely controlled cell-cell interactions that are regulated by specific transcription factors and intercellular signaling pathways. In order to understand the molecular network regulating craniofacial and palate development, we also investigate the genetic and molecular pathways regulating other, and sometimes better characterized, developmental processes. For example, both Osr1 (Odd-skipped related-1) and Osr2 zinc finger transcription factors play important roles in palate development (Lan et al., 2004). We generated gene-knockout mice and found that the Osr1 mutant mice also have specific defects in kidney development (Wang et al., 2005; James et al., 2006). We recently found, in addition to regulating palate development, that Osr2 also regulates tooth patterning. Development of the kidney and of tooth has served as classical model systems for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of organogenesis. By understanding the roles and molecular pathways involving Osr1 and Osr2 in these developmental processes, we will gain better insight into the molecular mechanisms regulating palate development and patterning.
Genetic lineage tracing of Osr2-IresCre activated Rosa26-LacZ expression revealed that Osr2 was specifically activated during kidney morphogenesis
(Lan et al., genesis 45:618-624, 2007).
Contact
Rulang Jiang
University of Rochester
Box 611
601 Elmwood Ave.
Rochester, NY 14642
Office: MRB G-9633
+1-585-273-1426
rulang_jiang@urmc.
rochester.edu
