The aim of our research is to understand how cells and tissues undergoing dynamic movements achieve plastic yet sturdy cytoskeleton.
We are especially keen to understand how actin filament turnover is regulated spatially. We use combination on genetic, cell biological and imaging approaches. As a main model system we use the follicular epithelium of Drosophila that provides a powerful genetically tractable model system to study morphogenetic movements of epithelial cells in vivo.
- How cells organized as a tissue orchestrate their adhesive, protrusive and contractile activities during morphogenetic movements?
- How actin cytoskeleton disassembly is spatially regulated in cells undergoing dynamic rearrangements in order to maintain cell-cell junctions and integrity of epithelial sheets?