How intestinal villi grow and branch
A molecular and physical mechanism for growing and branching the intestinal villus
Researchers are working to learn how the tiny finger-like projections (villi) in the small intestine regrow and get longer to help people with damaged villi such as in celiac disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251984 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers study how villi form, lengthen, and branch so the gut can absorb nutrients better. They examine special mesenchymal cells that move and pull on the intestinal lining and track molecular signals (like Myosin-II, Hedgehog, MMPs, and integrins) that drive folding and growth. The team calls the early shaping process "active mesenchymal dewetting" and follows how villi expand after that event. Findings come from lab models and tissue work and aim to guide ways to regrow villi or build intestinal tissue for patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with villus atrophy from conditions like celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or gut damage from radiation or chemotherapy would be the most relevant candidates for related future treatments or tissue-donation efforts.
Not a fit: People whose digestive problems are due to non-villus causes (such as motility disorders or systemic metabolic issues) or who need immediate clinical treatments may not benefit directly from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that help rebuild or regenerate intestinal villi and improve nutrient absorption for people with villus loss.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have shown villi can sometimes reform and prior work identified key cell types driving early folding, but applying these mechanisms to human therapies is largely new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gartner, Zev Jordan — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Gartner, Zev Jordan
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.