During the development of embryos, groups of cells (referred to as 'collectives') move together to help form tissues and organs. Movement of these collectives inside the developing embryo is poorly understood. This fellowship will study development of the fruit fly as a model system to understand how cell collectives move within, and interact with, living, intact tissues. The scientific goals of this project are to use new advanced microscopic methods to reveal how collectives move in tissues, and to use light to control cell movements. The PI and a postdoctoral fellow will be trained in these new techniques at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and will then bring the techniques back to the home institution (Kansas State University). These studies will result in new tools that can be used to study how embryos develop into fully formed animals, and to improve our broader understanding of how cell collectives move within tissues.

Technical Abstract

The migration of multicellular groups, or cell collectives, is vital to the formation and reorganization of tissues during organogenesis. While collective migrations are required for development, it is not well understood how cells stay ordered and migratory despite moving inside densely packed tissues. Drosophila border cells are an excellent genetically tractable model system to address how cell collectives physically and molecularly interact with the native tissue environment. The goal of this fellowship is to uncover mechanisms that underlie interactions between migrating collectives and tissues through the use of cutting-edge live cell imaging of the border cell system. The work will be performed in partnership with reasearchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, which is a leader in the field of collective cell migration and innovative live cell manipulation and imaging. The PI will employ a combination of Selective Plane Illumination (SPIM) light sheet fluorescent microscopy (LSFM), in vivo biosensors, and optogenetic tools that employ light to manipulate protein function in live cells, will be used at the host site. These techniques will address: (1) how tissue shape and organization impacts border cell collective migration; and (2) how Rap1, a key signaling protein, controls the adhesion strength and dynamics of border cells during their migration inside the tissue. The project will allow the PI to create and use innovative imaging and optogenetic tools to considerably advance our conceptual and mechanistic understanding of how cell collectives migrate in complex native environments. The PI will introduce and promote adoption of this technology at the PI?s home institution, Kansas State University (KSU) by training other investigators on how to use biosensors and optogenetic tools.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Office of International and Integrative Activities (IIA)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1738757
Program Officer
Chinonye Whitley
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2017-09-15
Budget End
2021-08-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
$176,539
Indirect Cost
Name
Kansas State University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Manhattan
State
KS
Country
United States
Zip Code
66506