Grant: Undergraduate: Mobility, musculoskeletal health and arthritis - ICS

The transition from embryo to an adult form requires morphogens, which are signaling molecules that guide the embryonic patterning: differentiation and growth of embryonic cells which ultimately determine the overall body plan of an organism. Therefore, any dysfunction in one or more of these morphogens may lead to a wide range of developmental defects. One of the most studied systems is the limb bud, where morphogens govern the patterning of three major body axes: antero-posterior (i.e. thumb to little finger), proximo-distal (i.e. shoulder to finger-tip), and dorso-ventral (i.e. back of the hand to the palm). While many morphogens have been identified, we focus on the role of a protein called peptidase inhibitor 15 (PI15) as a novel patterning molecule. This study will help to identify the role of a novel morphogen PI15 in embryo patterning, which will shed light on skeletal patterning leading to birth defects.