Yingqi “Apple” Zhu
Genetic Analysis of Foxc1b's Role in Teeth Regeneration
Many homologous epithelial appendages follow conserved genetic pathways of development. Two of these epithelial appendages include teeth and hair, which both arise from interactions between an epithelial cell layer and an underlying mesenchyme. While the genetic pathways underlying the development of these two epithelial appendages has been shown to be conserved, whether or not the genetic pathway that regulates regeneration in these two appendages is conserved has yet to be determined. In hair, the gene Foxc1 has been shown to regulate hair follicle stem cell quiescence by changing the expression of downstream genes such as Bmp6 and Gli1. In the threespine stickleback, Bmp6 has shown to have a significant role in the increase of teeth number and regeneration in freshwater populations as compared to their ancestral marine populations. This alongside the fact that sticklebacks regenerate teeth continuously in the same manner as mammals regenerate hair, make sticklebacks an excellent model to study tooth-hair regeneration homology. I will be studying the role of Foxc1b, an ortholog of Foxc1. My lab has generated knockout lines for this gene using CRISPR-Cas9. I will be conducting qPCR on Foxc1b mutant and wild-type sticklebacks. I am testing if the expression of genes downstream of Foxc1b in Foxc1b mutant sticklebacks is impacted in the same manner as genes downstream of Foxc1 in hair follicle regeneration. This study will greatly contribute to the understanding of the genetic basis of teeth regeneration which is an understudied area of research.
Message To Sponsor
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the sponsors who made this opportunity possible. Conducting research under URAP has been one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience. Being able to continue my research over the summer and keep on developing my professional skills and interest in science means a great deal to me. Thank you so much for your generous support, and I am incredibly excited for the chance to continue my journey in science this summer!