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Dissertation Information for Cheng Cui

NAME:
- Cheng Cui

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Physics

SCHOOL:
- Indiana University (USA) (2005)

ADVISORS:
- Joseph B. Duffy
- James A. Glazier

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Sima Setayeshgar
- Santiago D. Schnell

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Dynamics of cell movement and tissue motion in gastrulation and micromass cell culture

Abstract: This dissertation studies the dynamics of cell and tissue motion in two biological situations: early gastrulation of the chick embryo and chondrogenic condensation in micromass culture of embryonic chick limb cells.

Analysis of epiblast cell movement during primitive-streak formation showed that epiblast cells move in two large-scale, counter-rotating streams that merge at tire site of streak formation. Within each stream, epiblast cells move little relative to their neighbors. Our studies with the cell-cycle inhibitor aphidicolin have shown that cell division enables the epiblast to expand, causes the circular flow patterns and drives streak formation. Application of the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 did riot inhibit streak initiation but resulted in abnormal streak extension, suggesting that the initial stages of streak formation do not rely on signaling through the planar-polarity pathway.

Analysis of mesenchymal cell movement during chondrogenic condensation in micromass culture of embryonic chick limb cells using phase-contrast microscopy revealed that cells in the condensation centers have small contact areas with their substrate and move faster, while cells outside of the condensation centers have larger substrate contact areas and move slower. Fitting cells with ellipses, which show the elongation directions of the cells, showed no correlation between the cells' directions of elongation and movement, which indicates that cells in micromass culture move passively, being pushed around and deformed by neighboring cells. We propose that changes in the interaction between cells and their substrate because of ECM deposition underneath the cells cause the speed and contact-area changes in the condensation centers.

MPACT Scores for Cheng Cui

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2010-10-06 17:18:05

Advisors and Advisees Graph