How skin cells stay organized when they divide
Cell cycle control of cell polarity and fate in epidermal morphogenesis
Researchers are learning how skin and other epithelial cells keep their internal orientation as they divide, which could help people with cancers that start in these tissues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11262946 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses advanced live and super-resolution imaging plus molecular experiments to watch polarity proteins during cell division in epithelial tissues. The team will follow how these proteins are temporarily removed from the cell surface by bulk endocytosis during mitosis and then recycled back after division under control of cell-cycle kinases. They will use cell and tissue models to see how this remodeling preserves aligned tissue architecture and prevents invasive cell behavior. By linking the cell-cycle machinery to polarity control, the researchers aim to identify points where cancers may disrupt this system.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with, or at high risk for, epithelial cancers (for example many skin, breast, lung, and colon cancers) are most directly related to this research.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to epithelial tissues, such as many blood cancers or non-epithelial genetic disorders, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to prevent epithelial cancers from losing their organized structure and becoming invasive.
How similar studies have performed: Prior basic studies, including work from this lab, have shown polarity proteins are internalized and recycled during cell division, but turning that knowledge into therapies is still novel.
Where this research is happening
Princeton, UNITED STATES
- Princeton University — Princeton, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devenport, Danelle N — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Devenport, Danelle N
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.