Theory of Living Matter GroupGeneral information
In this informal meeting we will have two talks, a theoretical talks and an experimental talk. Both talks are intended to be understandable for a broad audience. Our speakers will be Henrik Boije (Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience) and Joel Peck (Department of Genetics).
After the talk there will be a drinks reception with snacks and plenty of time for informal discussions.
Registration:
Registration closed.
Date:
Wednesday, 30th July 2014, 6pm
Venue:
The Brew House, top floor
1 King St, Cambridge CB1 1LH
Directions: The Brew House is located between Christ's College and Jesus College. There will be signs which will guide the way.
Talks
“Building a retina: Extrinsic and intrinsic factors regulating cell fate in the developing retina”
Henrik Boije, University of CambridgeWe use the zebrafish retina as a model to understand how a pool of equipotent stem cells can create a complex organ of the correct size and cell type distribution. Analysis of cell lineages of retinal progenitor cells reveals a large variation in size and cell type composition suggesting an element of stochasticity during proliferation and cell fate assignment. However, stochasticity does not mean that these events are uncontrolled or random but rather that they operate according to defined probabilities creating statistically well-behaved ensembles. How environmental cues (extrinsic factors) and cell-autonomous decisions (intrinsic factors) regulate cell proliferation and differentiation remains elusive. We experimentally study intrinsic and extrinsic influences by combining cell transplantation with cell lineage tracing technologies. Our experiments reveal the fate changes that occur when the translation of key fate determinants is blocked by “morpholinos”. Based on these experiments and with knowledge of the transcriptional hierarchies during retina development we were able to develop a stochastic model, which takes into account the proliferative capacity and fate assignment of retinal progenitor cells.
“Is Life Impossible? Information, Sex, and the Origin of Complex Organisms”
Joel Peck, University of CambridgeWe use the zebrafish retina as a model to understand how a pool of equipotent stem cells can create a complex organ of the correct size and cell type distribution. Analysis of cell lineages of retinal progenitor cells reveals a large variation in size and cell type composition suggesting an element of stochasticity during proliferation and cell fate assignment. However, stochasticity does not mean that these events are uncontrolled or random but rather that they operate according to defined probabilities creating statistically well-behaved ensembles. How environmental cues (extrinsic factors) and cell-autonomous decisions (intrinsic factors) regulate cell proliferation and differentiation remains elusive. We experimentally study intrinsic and extrinsic influences by combining cell transplantation with cell lineage tracing technologies. Our experiments reveal the fate changes that occur when the translation of key fate determinants is blocked by “morpholinos”. Based on these experiments and with knowledge of the transcriptional hierarchies during retina development we were able to develop a stochastic model, which takes into account the proliferative capacity and fate assignment of retinal progenitor cells.