New insights into the development of epithelial cells
Saturday, October 30, 2010 - 11:40
in Biology & Nature
Scientists of the Max Delbrueck Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and the Experimental and Clinical Research Centre (ECRC) of MDC and Charite in Berlin-Buch have gained new insights into the development of epithelial cells and their molecular repertoire. Dr Max Werth, Katharina Walentin and Professor Kai Schmidt-Ott have identified a transcription factor (grainyhead-like 2, Grhl2), which regulates the composition of the molecular 'bridges' that link adjacent epithelial cells. The authors were able to demonstrate that Grhl2, via DNA-binding, directly regulates the expression of two such cell junctional molecules, E-cadherin and claudin 4 (Development, doi:10.1242/dev.055483)...