How tissues that line organs keep cell numbers in balance
Regulation of Overall Cell Numbers During Epithelial Tissue Homeostasis and Pathogenesis
This work learns how epithelial tissues replace lost cells or stop extra cells from appearing to help people with cancers or age-related tissue problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307140 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers watch living epithelial tissue in zebrafish to see how unwanted cells are pushed out and how neighboring stem cells replace them. They focus on mechanical cell behavior, including pulsatile actomyosin contractions, and on a signaling lipid called sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). The team also tracks immune cell recruitment and the signals that make nearby cells divide after cell loss. The goal is to find the molecular steps that could be targeted to improve tissue repair or prevent early cancerous overgrowth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with or at risk for epithelial cancers or age-related decline in epithelial tissues would be the long-term beneficiaries and potential candidates for future related trials.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to epithelial cell turnover (for example, purely neurological or psychiatric disorders) are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to promote healthy tissue repair or to block early steps in cancers that arise from excess cell addition.
How similar studies have performed: Related laboratory studies in cells and animal models have shown cell extrusion and S1P involvement, but translating those findings into human therapies is still early and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eisenhoffer, George Thomas — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Eisenhoffer, George Thomas
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.