Embryonic Development and Differentiation in Vertebrates
Signalling pathways in inflammation and regeneration.
Our group is interested in understanding the molecular and cellular basis of organ formation during embryonic development. This knowledge is important for identifying the origin of congenital malformations and also to understand the basis of regeneration. We use animal models (mouse and chicken embryos) to address several biological questions.
We are currently analysing the relationship between inflammation and regeneration. The regeneration ability in higher animals is reduced and the role of inflammation in the process is controversial. In some cases it has been shown to improve organ and tissue regeneration but in other instances it has been shown to be detrimental to it. We want to understand the role of inflammation in several models of regeneration such as digit tip regeneration after amputation, muscle regeneration or intestinal epithelial regeneration. In particular we want to study the role of inflammation regulated by the p38 signalling pathway.
The work will involve analysis of the regenerative response in mouse organs after injury using a variety of molecular, cellular and biochemical techniques.
Publications
1. Uribe, V., Badia-Careaga, C., Casanova, J.C., Domínguez, J.N. de la Pompa, J.L. and Sanz-Ezquerro, J.J. 2014. “Arid3b is essential for second heart field cell deployment and heart patterning”. Development, 141: 4168-4181. (Impact factor JCR 2014 6,46)
2. Casanova, J.C., Badia-Careaga, C., Uribe, V. and Sanz-Ezquerro, J.J. 2012. “Bambi and Sp8 expression mark digit tips and their absence shows that chick wing digits 2 and 3 are truncated”. Plos One, 7(12), pone.0052781. (Impact factor JCR 2012 3,73. Citations: 2)
3. Casanova, J.C., Uribe, V., Badia-Careaga, C., Giovinazzo, G., Torres, M . and Sanz-Ezquerro, J.J. 2011. Apical Ectodermal Ridge morphogenesis in limb development is controlled by Arid3b regulation of cell movements. Development,138: 1195-1205.
4. Casanova, J.C. and Sanz-Ezquerro, J.J. 2007. Digit morphogenesis: Is the tip different? Dev. Growth Diff. 49: 479-491
5. Sanz-Ezquerro, J.J.* and Tickle, C. 2003. Fgf signalling controls the number of phalanges and tip formation in developing digits. Current Biology, 13: 1830-1836.