Ryan Dong Rose Hills
Spatially restricted tissue failure via Wnt/Tgf-β protects inner ear
Development of organs such as the ear, eye, and brain rely on precise control of fluid flow to confer specialized functions and maintain structural integrity. In the inner ear, hydrostatic pressure is regulated by fluid accumulation that is coordinated with pressure release, a mechanism dysregulated in many hearing and balance disorders. Our lab’s previous work has implicated the role of the inner ear’s endolymphatic duct and sac (EDS) as a tissue-scale pressure relief valve that facilitates periodic voiding of excess fluid. Identifying the genetic and cellular mechanisms that coordinate EDS fluid release will undoubtedly yield etiological insight and new therapeutic avenues for inner ear disorders.
Leveraging the optical accessibility of zebrafish and CRISPR-based genetics, I find crosstalk between Wnt and Tgf-β cell signaling pathways dictates spatially-restricted remodeling of cellular junctions to compromise tissue integrity at a single weak point that can separate to relieve fluid pressure—a novel protective mechanism that deflects pressurized rupture from sensitive sites of the inner ear where critical sensory cells reside.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much for funding my project. I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity this summer to develop critical skills needed in my research career, all while investigating something that matters deeply to me! Thank you so much for the support!