Dev Bio SuperGroup Meeting

Mihoko Kato (Sternberg Lab)
Functional Analysis of Linker Cell Migration in C. elegans Male Gonadogenesis

Cell migration is important for animal development including embryogenesis, morphogenesis, and
immune response, but can also contribute to diseases like metastatic cancer. To understand
molecular mechanisms of cell migration in the complex environment of an organism, I am studying
the long-distance migration of the linker cell, a single cell required for generating the shape of the
male gonad in Caenorhabditis elegans. We identified approximately 8,000 expressed genes in the
linker cell by single-cell transcriptionally profiling, of which one-quarter were differentially
expressed between two larval stages. Through data analysis and testing by RNA interference, we
have identified genes that have a surprising role in cell migration, including tandem pore potassium
channels, major sperm proteins, and structural maintenance of chromosome genes. We are also
investigating the function of a conserved, transmembrane protein, tag-256, required for the
collective migration of the linker cell and gonadal cells, and have identified interactors for this
protein.

Thai Truong (Fraser Lab)
Two-photon light sheet microscopy:a versatile dynamic imaging tool for developmental biology

Two-photon light sheet microscopy combines nonlinear excitation with the unique sheetillumination,
orthogonal to the detection direction, to achieve simultaneous high penetration depth,
high acquisition speed, and low photodamage, compared with conventional imaging techniques.
These advantages allow unprecedented observation of the processes that govern embryogenesis,
where the ability to image fast the dynamic three dimensional structure of the developing embryo,
over extended periods of time, is critical. We present a comparison of two-photon light sheet
microscopy with other conventional techniques in live imaging of embryos to demonstrate its
outstanding performance. We also present a selection of applications where two-photon light sheet
microscopy is utilized to observe and quantify the dynamic behavior of proteins, cells, and tissues
during embryogenesis.
 

We are recruiting speakers for March 12 and April 9 meetings. Interested
speakers please contact Angela Stathopoulos ([email protected])