Research Synopsis

Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Cell Symmetry

Determination of how stem cells distribute their intracellular contents asymmetrically and the mechanisms by which this affects the differentiated state of each of the daughter cells are key to our basic understanding of stem cell biology. At Yale, there are several investigators working on various aspects of such studies. Dr. Weimin Zhong was the first to identify that numb, a protein asymmetrically localized during neural stem cell division, functions by inhibiting notch signaling whichever of the daughter cells has a higher amount of numb. His subsequent work as well as that of others has shown that numb is asymmetrically distributed in mammalian stem cell division as well. His ongoing work is focused on determining the mechanisms for this asymmetric distribution and the protein/DNA interactions that mediate its affect on the differentiation of the daughter cells. Dr. Peter Takizawa is working on cellular mechanisms of asymmetric cell division including analysis of molecular motors and cellular organelles that play a role in determining this asymmetry. Dr. Haifan Lin’s work demonstrates the role of the stem cell niche in controlling asymmetric division of stem cells. His ongoing studies are further advancing our understanding of these events.