The University of New Mexico

Seminar:

Toward total synthesis of cell functions: Deconstructing and constructing chemotaxis and phagocytosis

January 16, 2015

Takanari Inoue

In multicellular organisms, cells undergo proliferation and differentiation into specialized cell types which are then able to exhibit complex specialized behaviors such as phagocytosis and chemotaxis.  All of these processes are tightly regulated by complex webs of signaling that have proved difficult to disentangle.  Recently, we put forth new concepts and tools to both break down and reconstitute these complex cellular behaviors. In the seminar, I will discuss with our recent findings of minimal signaling events to make normally inert cells chemotax and phagocytose using chemical biology techniques combined with fluorescence imaging and microfluidics device.  Our synthetic cell biology approach could make major contributions to future studies of these issues, including potential clinical applications.