How polycystin proteins control cell size
Official title: The mechanism of cell size regulation by polycystins
Funded at University of Toledo · NIH-11308343 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are learning how polycystin proteins and calcium signals control cell growth in ways that relate to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Toledo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Toledo, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $308,498 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM144652-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308343 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is a laboratory-based project, so adults with ADPKD interested in following basic research results are the most relevant audience rather than clinical enrollees.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking direct treatments or opportunities to enroll in a clinical trial will not benefit now because the work is yeast-based and does not recruit human participants.
What this research studies
This project uses a simple yeast model to learn how polycystin channels and calcium signals control cell size during the switch from cell division to growth. The team will use genetic screens and live calcium imaging to see how two conserved signaling cascades (called SIN and MOR) regulate the polycystin channel Pkd2p. They will test how these pathways affect calcium entry, channel localization, and the mechanics of cell size expansion. Because polycystins are conserved between yeast and humans, the findings may point to molecular steps relevant to ADPKD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how polycystin-controlled calcium signals drive abnormal cell growth and suggest new molecular targets to slow or prevent cyst growth in ADPKD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked polycystin defects to altered calcium signaling and cyst growth in ADPKD, but using yeast genetics and live calcium imaging to map conserved regulatory pathways is a more novel, early-stage approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Toledo
Toledo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Qian — University of Toledo
- Study coordinator: Chen, Qian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How Zika Virus Can Weaken Eye Barriers and What Might Help
Researchers are studying how Zika virus may disrupt the eye’s protective barrier in newborns and whether certain pathways could be targeted to protect vision.
-
Role of Protocadherin 19 in human cortical development and its link to epilepsy
A study using human stem cell–derived brain models to understand how PCDH19 gene variants affect early brain development and contribute to epilepsy.
-
How tiny RNAs help guide nerve fibers in autism
A study in chicken models looks at how specific microRNAs control nerve-fiber guidance receptors to help proper brain wiring relevant to autism.
-
Centrosomal JAK2 in ciliated cells impacts ciliogenesis and cell behavior
A research grant aims to understand how JAK2 at the centrosome affects ciliogenesis and related cell functions in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
-
Sperm Centriole Mechanism in Fertilization
Researchers are studying how human sperm centrioles and the neck connect to the tail to enable fertilization, using rabbits as a genetic model to uncover this mechanism.
-
Dynamic covalent chemistry enables remote C-H changes on alkaloids
A new method uses special temporary directing groups to modify hard-to-reach parts of alkaloid molecules, potentially expanding how these natural-product-derived compounds are customized.
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.