BIOL 30200 RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY Fall 2007 Projects
Marc Servetnick Section 06
Background
During embryonic development, cells of the early embryo form different cell types (muscle, nerve, skin, etc.). This
process of cell fate determination must be coordinated so that embryonic cells form all the tissues and organs of the
body. Coordination of cell fate decisions occurs in part by the release of chemical signals from some cells, which
influence other cells. My lab studies cell fate determination and cell-cell communication in vertebrate embryos; as a
model system, we study the frog Xenopus laevis. In particular, we are studying cell surface receptor molecules which
allow cells to respond to chemical signals. Our efforts focus on a family of four related receptors, called fibroblast
growth factor receptors (FGFRs). FGFRs are important for a number of developmental events, including formation of
muscle, the nervous system, and limb buds..
The project’s long-term goal is to examine the development of gonads (testes and ovaries) in frog embryos, as well as
investigating the signals that lead frogs to develop as male or female. An initial project is to identify genes that are
expressed in only either the testis or ovary.
Our work falls into several broad categories:
• Determining the function of each receptor. To do this, we overexpress the receptor in the embryo (that is, we
cause the receptor to be expressed at a much higher level than normal, and we cause it to be expressed in all
cells, rather than just a few cells). By analyzing defects that occur when a receptor is overexpressed, we hope
to learn what role the receptor plays in normal development.
• We also analyze the function of a receptor by inhibiting its function. We do this by making a so-called
dominant negative form of the receptor. Again, we can analyze the defects in embryonic development that
result when a given receptor is inhibited.
Specific projects for Spring 2007 include:
• Roles of individual FGF receptors in early frog development
• Effects of FGFR inhibition on early frog development
• Expression of FGFRs in specific cell types
