Agathe Chaigne awarded ECR starting grant

Roles of cytoplasmic bridges in cell-cell cohesion and communication

The decisive moment in cell division, when cells actually split in two, is surprisingly variable in biology. At the end of cell division, the two cells are still connected by a bridge that they must cut, which some cells do quickly and others do not. Using her ERC Starting Grant, biologist Agathe Chaigne aims to uncover the roles of the long-lasting bridges.

Up until now, the bridge’s roles are surprisingly unclear. It could enable cells to exchange proteins, or to just keep cells together for as long as needed. To gain more insights into this, Chaigne’s team will study the bridge in stem cells and single-cell organisms called choanoflagellates, which can either live isolated from each other or as a group of cells.

“Cell division is one of the most interesting processes in biology,” says Chaigne. “Cells undergo really dramatic changes during division. Cells come in all shapes and sizes, yet all cells divide using the same basic processes and building blocks.” Uncovering the bridge’s functions could provide new clues for understanding how multicellular life evolved, and how organs in our body cooperate, says Chaigne. “The bridge may have been the first step in this development.”

Read more about UU researchers awarded the ECR starting grant here.

 

Posted in Grant & Award News, News