Molecular control of growth cone adhesion, clutching and invasion
| Dates: | 18 November 2014 |
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| Times: | 13:00 - 14:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Life Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Timothy Gomez |
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This seminar is part of the Tissue Systems seminar series. Growth cones of developing neurons are similar in many ways to migrating fibroblasts, patrolling immune cells, and metastatic cancer cells. Growth cones adhere to the extracellular matrix (ECM) through integrin receptors at sites termed point contacts. Similar to fibroblast focal adhesions, point contacts dynamically link or “clutch” ECM proteins to the actin cytoskeleton through a number of adaptor and signaling proteins. Like neutrophils, growth cones are also guided by chemical gradients of soluble and membrane-associated growth factors, chemokines and guidance cues. Interestingly, we find that integrin adhesion is modulated by signals that occur downstream of growth factors and axon guidance cues, suggesting that axon guidance may occur through regulation of integrin clutching. Finally, we have recently discovered that growth cones assemble actin-based protrusions that resemble cancer cell invadopodia. Invadopodia are basal or apical cell protrusions that target ECM degrading proteases to promote tissue invasion. We propose that growth cone invadosomes serve similar functions to allow axon guidance across the basal lamina or within tissues.
Speaker
Timothy Gomez
Organisation: University of Wisconsin
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
Lecture Theatre
Michael Smith Building
Manchester
