How a protein called netrin-1 guides cell movement during development
Official title: Netrin Glycosylation Influences Chemotaxis and Haptotaxis
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10828904 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a special protein called netrin-1 to see how it helps guide cells during development, which is important for making sure organs grow properly, and it aims to create mouse models to better understand how changes in this protein can affect cell movement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $233,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R21NS132364-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10828904 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would include individuals with developmental disorders or conditions that involve abnormal cell migration.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to developmental processes or cell migration may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of netrin-1, a glycoprotein, in guiding cell movement during development. It aims to understand how different forms of netrin-1 can act as both long-range and local cues for cells, influencing their migration in either an attractive or repulsive manner. By purifying and characterizing these forms, the researchers will explore how glycosylation affects the behavior of netrin-1, which is crucial for the proper development of various organ systems. The ultimate goal is to create mouse models that can help manipulate netrin glycosylation for further studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new insights into developmental processes and potential therapeutic strategies for conditions related to cell migration.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in understanding the roles of glycoproteins in cell movement, making this approach promising yet still exploring new aspects of netrin-1.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gupton, Stephanie — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Gupton, Stephanie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
A center for coordinating data related to heart and blood health.
This study is working on a new system to gather and analyze health information about heart and blood disorders, which could lead to better ways to diagnose and treat these conditions, ultimately helping patients like you.
-
Healthy work design and worker well-being
A multi-site program aims to improve the health and well-being of workers by studying how work design affects safety, stress, and quality of life.
-
Unified and fair multimodal learning for autoimmune diseases
A patient-friendly AI approach will combine many kinds of health data to improve diagnosis and personalized care for autoimmune diseases, including lupus.
-
Structural factors linking minimum wage, COVID-19, and community violence
A long-term study will explore whether higher minimum wages and pandemic-related economic factors are connected to changes in violence in US communities.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
How HPV interacts with our cells' DNA damage system and its effect on cancer
This project looks at how high-risk HPV uses the body’s DNA repair machinery to replicate and potentially drive cancer, with the goal of finding new antiviral and cancer-fighting approaches for people affected by HPV-related diseases.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.