“Regulation of Cellular Shape, Function, and Polarity Through Actin Cytoskeletal Organization in Human Epithelial Cells”
Dr. Andrew Lombardo
Postdoctoral Fellow at the Bretscher Lab, Weill Institute for Cell & Molecular Biology, Cornell University
Thursday, January 19th @ 12pm
Gateway 1002
Pizza will be served!
Abstract: The polarity of cells is a basic biological necessity where cells form an intrinsic asymmetry and is required for differentiation, cell division, and motility. However, how human cells polarize is complex and critical gaps in understanding persist. Specifically, how cells build immediate adjacent (<100nm) yet distinct polarized morphological structures remain poorly understood. The underlying organizer of polarized cell shape is the cytoskeleton, where filamentous-actin (F-actin), microtubules, and intermediate filaments collaborate for spatial and temporal governance. Actin filaments interact intimately with the plasma membrane and serve multiple roles to simultaneously define and regulate the cell's physical structure, act as the tracks for intracellular trafficking, and detect externally applied forces. Additionally, myosin motors are associated with all actin networks where they apply and transduce forces. In this seminar, I will discuss my research to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms governing cell polarity and understand the mechanobiology driving cell morphology. I'll present the key experiments answering long-standing questions in my field by using a systems biology approach and combining two powerful disciplines: 1) Top-down CRISPR/Cas9 genetic manipulation of human epithelial cells. 2) Bottom-up biophysical single molecule techniques reconstituting basic molecular mechanisms in vitro. We'll then explore the future work needed to address the basic scientific framework cells use to polarize.