Mechanosensory Hair Cells
Zebrafish lateral line hair cells function similarly to cells in the human ear. Since they regenerate, we can study the mechanisms that allow this and help us understand how to treat hearing loss.
Collective Cell Migration
In development, cells sometimes need guidance cues to get to their final location. In the posterior lateral line, groups of hair cells (neuromasts) are deposited along the side of the fish as the primordium moves. When genes are altered, the cell migration can change and development is affected.
Lipid Transfer Protein Function in Development
Lipids are essential for cell function and identity. Ceramide is a sphingolipid that is important for brain function and development. We study a protein CERT-the ceramide transfer protein-that moves ceramide from the endoplasmic reticulum to the trans-Golgi Network. We study how changes in this protein affect sensory systems.