This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
A new flow cytometer, a cell counter, and a phase-contrast microscope with digital camera are being used to help advance the cellular and molecular biology research programs of faculty and their undergraduate researchers at Southwestern University. The major project explores the contribution of a membrane protein, claudin-3, to tight junction (TJ) function in human breast epithelial cells. TJs connect adjacent endothelial and epithelial cells preventing the unregulated flow of solutes between cells. In addition, they have been implicated in a range of cellular processes including regulation of cell growth, cell motility and embryonic development. Currently, there is little information regarding the roles of each of the 24 different types of human claudin proteins in particular cells types. By comparing the effects of normal versus elevated levels of claudin-3 on TJ strength, cell growth, motility and invasiveness in cultured breast epithelial cells, this project is helping to functionally delineate the role of claudin-3 in breast epithelial TJs. Undergraduate researchers will contribute to the proposed research as participants in the Southwestern University Biology Summer Research Programs and throughout the school year. By providing students with the opportunities to use state of the art equipment found in large research institutions and to apply current technical approaches to solving problems in molecular biology, they will be well prepared for entry into graduate school programs and future careers in science. The outcomes of this project will be presented annually at the American Association of Cell Biology Meeting and through publication in leading Cellular Biology journals.
