Cell and Developmental Biology University of Michigan

Research

Cell polarity, cell shape, and cell division are extremely important events involved in drastically remodeling the epithelium during gut organogenesis to maximize intestinal surface area. Starting at mouse embryonic day (E) 13.5, the epithelium rapidly proliferates, increases cell height, expands the apical surface, and lengthens the anterior-posterior axis of the gut. My project aims to elucidate the cellular and molecular basis of epithelial remodeling during intestinal morphogenesis including the roles of Shroom3, Wnt5a, and Planar Cell Polarity genes in this process.