Maintenance of gut epithelial renewal and integrity

Steady-state epithelial tissue renewal in the adult gut ensures constant supply of metabolically fit cells while preserving constant tissue size and integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier. The gut epithelial turnover relies on the mutually coordinated processes of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and loss.

The mechanistic underpinnings of these processes remain mostly unclear, especially how these processes are coordinated to preserve constant tissue size, as well as how tissue integrity is maintained amid numerous mechanical challenges the gut epithelium is subjected to. 

Our goal is to understand how epithelial renewal and tissue integrity are maintained in the adult gut homeostasis in the context of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanical forces.

Funding