Pulsatile Contractions Driving Cell Extrusion
Eisenhoffer Laboratory
George Eisenhoffer, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Areas of Research
- Genetics Research
- Stem Cell Biology Research
- Apoptosis Research
- Developmental Biology Research
- Imaging Research
Our research focuses on understanding how cell division and death are coordinated to control overall cell numbers in epithelia.
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Research Focus
Goal: To elucidate the mechanisms that regulate cell turnover while preserving barrier function in epithelia and identify specific alterations that go awry during pathogenesis.
How we do it: Use the powerful cellular and genetic tools available in the developing zebrafish to dissect cell turnover in a living epithelial tissue.
Meet the team
From left to right: Youmna Atieh, Shuo-Ting Yen, Anh Kim Trinh, Safia Essien, Krystin Samms, Philip Kahan, James, Chen, Nathan Carroll, George Eisenhoffer, Oscar Ruiz, Jovany Franco
Visualizing the elimination of defective cells from living epithelial tissues
Our recent studies uncovered that pulsatile contractions promote extrusion of apoptotic cells, and define the initial events and key behavioral differences that can be used to predict which cells will be selectively extruded from the epithelium. Together, these data provide insight into how localized changes in physical forces are coordinated to remove defective cells from living epithelial tissues. Learn more about research in the Eisenhoffer Laboratory
Oscar Ruiz, Ph.D. receives first place in the 2016 Nikon Small World Photo Competition
Ruiz brings the world face-to-face with his research on facial development and cellular morphogenesis with his winning image of a four-day-old zebrafish embryo. Ruiz uses the zebrafish to study genetic mutations that lead to facial abnormalities such as cleft lip and palate in humans in the lab of George Eisenhoffer, Ph.D. Click here to read more and see this award winning photo.
Recent Publications
Atieh Y, Ruiz OE, Eisenhoffer GT. Protocol for quantitative analysis of pulsatile contractions and cell extrusion in epithelial tissues of larval zebrafish. STAR Protoc. Jun 12;2(2):100600. PMCID: PMC820969
Wurster S, Ruiz OE, Samms KM, Tatara AM, Albert ND, Kahan PH, Nguyen AT, Mikos AG, Kontoyiannis DP, Eisenhoffer GT. EGF-mediated suppression of cell extrusion during mucosal damage attenuates opportunistic fungal invasion. Cell Rep. Mar 23;34(12):108896. PMID: 33761358
Atieh Y, Wyatt T, Zaske AM, Eisenhoffer GT, Pulsatile contractions promote apoptotic cell extrusion in epithelial tissues. Curr Biol. Dec 30. S0960-9822(20)31825-X. PMCID: PMC7987746
Yen ST, Trimmer KA, Aboul-Fettouh N, Mullen RD, Culver JC, Dickinson ME, Behringer RR, Eisenhoffer GT. CreLite: An optogenetically controlled Cre/loxP system using red light. Dev Dyn. Aug 3. PMCID: PMC7931845
Flores EM, Nguyen AT, Odem MA, Eisenhoffer GT, Krachler AM. The Zebrafish as a Model for Gastrointestinal Tract - Microbe Interactions. Cell Microbiol. (2020) Mar;22(3): PMCID: PMC7015812