Paul N. Adler
( Email - Website )
William R Kenan, Jr Profship in Biology
Department of Biology
PO Box 400328
Gilmer Hall, 245
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4328
Phone:434-982-5475
Education and Experiences:
(BS) Carnegie Mellon University
(MA) Boston University
(PhD) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Interests:
My major research interest is the genetic control of morphogenesis at the interface
between the cell and tissue levels. As a model system we have studied planar polarity in the Drosophila wing, which is covered with an array of distally pointing hairs. We have found hair polarity is controlled via regulating the subcellular location
for initiation of the growth of the hair. This site selection is under the control
of the frizzled planar cell polarity pathway. It is thought that a key
step in this process involves the accumulation of protein complexes along the
proximal and distal sides of wing cells. A major focus of the laboratory is to
understand how these asymmetric protein complexes specify the site for activation
of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons to elaborate the hair. Homologs of
the frizzled pathway genes function to control gastrulation in the vertebrate
embryo, polarity of the stereocillia in the inner ear and some have been implicated
in oncogenesis. We are also studying how cells insure the integrity of cellular
extensions such as hairs, bristles and dendrites. Once again we are using the
Drosophila epidermis as a model. We have found that the tricornered and
furry genes play a key role in this process and that these proteins accumulate
in growing extensions. Our working model is that these proteins function in targeting
intracellular transport to insure proper morphogenesis. Once again these genes
are widely conserved and their homologs have been found to be important for cell
polarity and shape in fungi, worms and flies. Related genes have been found to
involved in cancer formation in mammals and tumorous outgrowths in flies.
Selected Projects:
GENETIC CONTROL OF TISSUE POLARITY
Genetic Analysis of Prehair Morphogenesis
Many cell types are highly asymmetric and produce prominent extensions (e.g. microvilli). This is common for epithelial cells (e.g. intestinal brush border cells), which typically produce them from ...
Genetic Control of Tissue Polarity
Our long-term goal is to understand the genetic control of morphogenesis at the interface between the cellular and tissue levels. We use planar polarity in the Drosophila wing as a model system. ...
Selected Publications:
Adler, P.N. and H. Lee (2001). Planar polarity and frizzled signaling. Current Opinions in Cell Biology.
He, B. and Adler, P. N. (2001). Cellular Mechanisms in the Development of the Drosphila arista. Mechanisms of Development, Mech. Dev, 104:69-78.
Adler, P. N. and J. Taylor (2001). frizzled signaling: simple but not plane. Current Biology, 11, R233-236.
Cong, J., Geng, W., He, B., Liu, J., Charlton, J. and P. N. Adler (2001). The furry gene of Drosophila is important for maintaining the integrity of cellular extensions during morphogenesis. Development.
PubMed Listings for this Faculty Member
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