Signaling at cell-cell contacts in Development and Disease

Speaker: Thomas B. Kornberg

Venue: Report Hall 205, Comprehensive Building of Medical College, Zijingang Campus

Abstract: Development creates a vast array of forms and patterns with elegant economy, using a small vocabulary of signaling proteins (BMPs, FGFS EGFs, Wnts, and Hhs) in similar ways to pattern many different tissues. Specialized filopodia called cytonemes transport these signaling proteins between cells, mediating cell-cell exchanges at contacts that are functionally similar to neuronal synapses. The roles and physical attributes of cytonemes have fascinating implications for the way sianaling proteins disperse across tissues to elicit specific responses in both normal development and disease contexts.