EVENT DETAILS AND ABSTRACT

Title: Cellular signaling networks in Dictyostelium discoideum:
Speaker: Wouter Rappel
Speaker Info: University of California-San Diego
Brief Description:
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Abstract:

Chemotaxis refers to the ability of cells to respond to spatial and temporal chemical gradients. It plays an important role in determining the direction of motion of cells in many biological processes including embryogenesis, wound healing and angiogenesis. In this talk will focus on a model system, the amoeboid organism Dictyostelium discoideum, which has emerged as a useful model system for studying chemotactic responses.Using available biological data we have constructed a theoretical model for the initial phase of chemotaxis in Dictyostelium. We will discuss the results of our physics-minded model and will show that it can make specific predictions. We will also present ideas about future experiments that could help our understanding of chemotactic signaling networks.