Probing the multipotency of neural crest in health and disease

Stem cells in the embryo produce different cell types, but ultimately decide their fate by communicating with other cells.

In case of individual multipotency, all individual stem or progenitor cells generate progeny with a similar lineage structure and downstream fate distribution.

However, in case of collective multipotency, despite individual progenitors can potentially contribute to any downstream fate, they still make early fate-restrictive choices covering only a portion of the spectrum of downstream fates.

Understanding how cell signaling drives stem cell fating could inform treatments for developmental disorders and pediatric cancers.

Neural crest stem cells are multipotent and thus a perfect model to study fate restrictions.Our key hypothesis is that multipotent neural crest stem cells decide on downstream fate-restrictions based on currently unknown crosstalk with each other.Here we will address if the multipotency of the neural crest operates according to the “population” vs “individual” model.

Next, we will investigate how the flexibility of clonal structures provides for developmental robustness and enables resisting stem cell insufficiency in alcohol syndrome or other congenital abnormalities.

This project uses cutting-edge genetics and single cell techniques to manipulate cell fate decisions in vivo in developing embryos.

Expected outcomes will improve our fundamental understanding of multipotency to advance genetic consultancy and emerging cell-based therapies.