FOR 1756:  Functional Dynamics of Cell Contacts in Cellular Assemblies and Migratory Cells

• Subject Area: Biology
• Term: from 2011 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 200509276

A central element in tissue morphogenesis is the dynamics of cell-cell contacts, i.e. their formation, dissolution, rearrangement and maintenance. The molecules underlying specific cell-cell contacts are adhesion molecules and cell surface ligand-receptor systems. The dynamic cell contacts determine specific cellular behaviour and constitute the driving force for tissue elongation, cell rearrangement, cell sorting, cell migration and cell-cell association.
The Research Unit focusses on defining and analysing the functional dynamics of cell contacts in cellular assemblies and small sets of cells in a set of genetically tractable model systems. Specifically, the Research Unit aims at identifying and investigating the biomechanical mechanisms underlying the dynamics of cell contacts, define the molecular mechanisms responsible for the biomechanical properties and identify and characterise novel components involved in cell contacts.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Austria

Projects

• Cell segregation in gastrulation: the role of cell fate specification (Applicant Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp )
• Cellular and molecular dynamics of cell-cell contact formation in the context of directional germ cell migration during Xenopus embryogenesis (Applicants Janshoff, Andreas ;  Pieler, Tomas )
• Characterization of cell adhesion dynamics during neural crest migration (Applicants Borchers, Annette ;  Wolf, Fred )
• Coordinate regulation of apical-basal cell polarity and cell-cell adhesion during epithelial development (Applicant Wodarz, Andreas )
• Coordination of morphogenetic actions across the entire organism (Applicant Leptin, Ph.D., Maria )
• Dynamic remodelling of the muscle-tendon cell contact in Drosophila (Applicant Schnorrer, Frank )
• Dynamics of cell contacts during cell intercalation in germband extension of Drosophila (Applicants Großhans, Jörg ;  Wolf, Fred )
• Dynamics of cell contacts during cell sorting at compartment boundaries in Drosophila (Applicant Dahmann, Christian )
• Oligodendrocytes and axon interaction (Applicant Simons, Mikael Jakob )
• Regulation of cell contacts and cell shape during mouth formation in Caenorhabditis elegans (Applicants Kaschube, Matthias ;  Pohl, Christian )
• Zentralprojekt (Applicant Großhans, Jörg )
• Zentralprojekt (Applicant Großhans, Jörg )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Jörg Großhans