How cells squeeze to shape embryos — lessons from a tiny worm
C. elegans Gastrulation: a Model for Understanding Apical Constriction Mechanisms
This project looks at how cells change shape during early embryo development to help prevent neural tube birth defects like spina bifida.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11249182 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use the tiny roundworm C. elegans to watch a process called apical constriction, where cells squeeze at their top side to change shape during gastrulation. They follow the actin cytoskeleton and motor proteins with advanced imaging, genetics, and newly developed lab tools to see how forces are generated and transmitted. The team studies how cells build and reorganize their internal architecture and how developmental signals place these players in the right place at the right time. Insights from this basic work are aimed at building a foundation that could eventually inform diagnosis and prevention of neural tube defects in humans.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is most relevant to people affected by neural tube defects (for example, families dealing with spina bifida or anencephaly) and people planning pregnancy who are concerned about neural tube prevention.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatments for an existing neural tube defect should not expect direct benefit from this lab-based basic science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could provide fundamental knowledge that helps improve diagnosis and prevention strategies for neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly.
How similar studies have performed: Related studies in worms and other model organisms have successfully revealed key cell-shaping mechanisms, but applying those findings to prevent human neural tube defects is still largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goldstein, Robert P — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Goldstein, Robert P
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 below.