Person
Cerveny, Kara
|
|
Biography and Research Interest
Our Lab Mission is to uncover how neuronal progenitors transition from proliferation to differentiation. Specific research projects employ precise embryological and imaging techniques, requiring creativity, time management, patience, critical thinking, and a sense of wonder. We value curiosity, dedication, and kindness.
Specific Aims & Questions: We examine the growing eyes and brains of zebrafish, investigating the formation and maintenance of neural stem cell niches in the retina and tectum. Many of our experiments are designed to uncover new clues about how the environment around a cell can influence its ability to proliferate or differentiate, a behavior with implications for developmental diseases, including many types of cancer. By analyzing behaviors of mutant cells grafted into wild-type retinae, monitoring cell cycle progression in the developing eye, and interrogating how specific extrinsic signals impinge on cell cycle exit, we investigate how local environmental signals influence cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal progenitors. On-going projects are designed to:
(1) Explain why distinct classes of retinal progenitors appear to be more or less sensitive to differentiation cues from the local environment
(2) Quantitatively dissect the cell cycle kinetics of retinal stem and progenitor cells with in vivo imaging
(3) Define how specific extrinsically modulated pathways, including Hedgehog, BMP, Notch, and Retinoic Acid controls cell cycle exit and differentiation of retinal progenitors emerging from their stem cell niche.
Specific Aims & Questions: We examine the growing eyes and brains of zebrafish, investigating the formation and maintenance of neural stem cell niches in the retina and tectum. Many of our experiments are designed to uncover new clues about how the environment around a cell can influence its ability to proliferate or differentiate, a behavior with implications for developmental diseases, including many types of cancer. By analyzing behaviors of mutant cells grafted into wild-type retinae, monitoring cell cycle progression in the developing eye, and interrogating how specific extrinsic signals impinge on cell cycle exit, we investigate how local environmental signals influence cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal progenitors. On-going projects are designed to:
(1) Explain why distinct classes of retinal progenitors appear to be more or less sensitive to differentiation cues from the local environment
(2) Quantitatively dissect the cell cycle kinetics of retinal stem and progenitor cells with in vivo imaging
(3) Define how specific extrinsically modulated pathways, including Hedgehog, BMP, Notch, and Retinoic Acid controls cell cycle exit and differentiation of retinal progenitors emerging from their stem cell niche.
Non-Zebrafish Publications
Barrett C, Hellickson I, Ben-Avi L, Lamb DB, Kranhenbuhl M, Cerveny KL. (2018) Impact of low-level ionizing radiation on cell death during zebrafish embryonic development Health Phys. 2018 Apr;114(4):421-428.
Merfeld E, Ben-Avi L, Kennon M, and Cerveny KL. (2017) Potential Mechanisms of Zika-linked Microcephaly. WIREs Dev Biol 2017, e273. doi: 10.1002/wdev/273.
Adachi Y, Itoh K, Yamada T, Cerveny KL, Suzuki TL, Macdonald P, Frohman MA, Ramachandran R, Iijima M, and Sesaki H. (2016) Coincident Phosphatidic Acid Interaction Restrains Drp1 in Mitochondrial Division. Molecular Cell. Sep 15;63(6):1034-43.
Cerveny KL, Tamura Y, Zhan Z, Jensen RE, and Sesaki H. (2007). Regulation of Mitochondrial Fusion and Division. Trends Cell Biol. Nov;17(11):563-9. Epub 2007 Oct 23.
Cerveny KL, Studer S, Jensen RE, and Sesaki H. (2007). Yeast Mitochondrial Division and Distribution Requires the Cortical Num1 Protein. Dev Cell. Mar;12(3):363-75.
Cerveny KL and Jensen RE. (2003). The WD-repeats of Net2p interact with Dnm1p and Fis1p to regulate division of mitochondria. Mol Biol Cell. Oct;14(10):4126-39. Epub 2003 Jul 11.
Cerveny KL, McCaffery JM, and Jensen RE. (2001). Division of mitochondria requires a novel DNM1-interacting protein, Net2p. Mol Biol Cell. Feb;12(2):309-21.
Jensen RE, Aiken Hobbs AE, Cerveny KL, and Sesaki H. (2000). Yeast mitochondrial dynamics: fusion, division, segregation and shape. Microsc Res Tech. 51:573-583.