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Cell and Tissue Morphogenesis
Studying the organisation of living matter
Principal investigator: Loïc Le Goff, Manos Mavrakis
keywords: cytoskeletal filaments, Drosophila, cell division, morphogenesis, tissue growth, mechanics
More on Manos Mavrakis’ research
More on Loïc Le Goff’s research
We are interested in how animal cells and tissues generate, maintain and adapt their shape as they grow, divide and reorganize during physiological responses. Our work aims at providing insights into (1) the interplay between the dynamic organization of cytoskeletal filaments and cell shape changes, and (2) the reciprocal links between tissue growth, morphogenesis and tissue mechanics.
We use a variety of model systems ranging from biomimetic systems (in vitro reconstitution of cytoskeleton using purified components) to single cells and developing Drosophila tissues. Our lab pursues a strongly interdisciplinary approach that bridges the molecular, cellular and tissue scales, combining genetics, biochemical and cell biological approaches with cutting-edge biophysical and live imaging approaches developed in the MOSAIC group. Our endeavor relies on strong collaborations with other members of the MOSAIC team to develop new imaging schemes, as well as with soft-matter experimental and theoretical physicists.
Ongoing projects |
1. Development of molecular tools that allow measurements of the dynamic organization of actin and septin cytoskeletal filaments, in living cells and tissues, using spinning disk multicolor polarimetric imaging |
2. Dissection of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the assembly and organization of septin filaments by combining genetics and biochemistry with ensemble and single-molecule polarimetric imaging |
3. Study of the molecular mechanisms that underly the interactions between actin and septin filaments by combining genetics, biochemistry and in vitro reconstitution approaches |
4. Development of imaging tools that allow noninvasive, chronic, deep, and live-tissue imaging |
5. Experimental assessment of tissue mechanics in the context of tissue growth and morphogenesis, via optical and computational means (laser ablations, stress inference after segmentation of cell shapes) |
6. Study of the reciprocal links between signaling pathways controlling tissue growth and proliferation and tissue mechanics |
Selected publications
Manos Mavrakis
Methods in Cell Biology 136, pp.183 (2016)
Manos Mavrakis, Tsai Feng-Ching, Gijsje H. Koenderink
Methods in Cell Biology 136, pp.199 (2016)
Heemskerk I., Lecuit T., LeGoff L.,
Development 141, 2339 (2014)
Mavrakis, M., Azou-Gros, Y., Tsai, F.-C., Alvarado, J., Bertin, A., Iv, F., Kress, A., Brasselet, S., Koenderink, G.H. and T. Lecuit.
Nature Cell Biology 16 (4), 322-334 (2014)
LeGoff L., Rouault H., Lecuit T.,
Development 140, 4051 (2014)
Mavrakis, M., Pourquié, O., and T. Lecuit,
Development 137, 373-38 (2010)
Mavrakis, M., Rikhy, R., and J. Lippincott-Schwartz,
Embryo. Dev. Cell 16, 93-104 (2009)
Mavrakis, M., Rikhy, R., Lilly, M., and Lippincott-Schwartz, J.
Current Protocols in Cell Biology Chapter 4: Unit 4.18 (2008)
Lecuit, T. and Le Goff L.,
Nature 450, 189 (2007)
Le Goff, L, Hallatschek, O., Frey, E., and Amblard, F.,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 258101 (2002)
Le Goff, L., Amblard, F., and Furst, E.M.,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 018101 (2002)