Summary of the science
Coordinating growth and tissue organisation is crucial during development to ensure that cells arrange themselves correctly and grow in a synchronised way. This makes sure that they form functional tissues and organs. Fat cadherins are large molecules that help cells stick together during these processes. They interact with another molecule called Dachsous to control how tissues grow and organise themselves. The Hippo pathway is a signalling pathway and it is involved in sending signals to cells to help control cell growth and cell death.
About the research
The McNeill lab addresses the fundamental challenge of understanding tissue organisation and coordinated growth at the cellular level. Using genetic screens, advanced imaging, and biochemical analysis, they investigate the mechanisms underlying tissue development in various organisms, including the fly eye, wing, testes, and ovaries. A major focus is unravelling the role of Fat cadherins in growth control, planar cell polarity, and metabolism, particularly within the Hippo pathway.
About the illustration