MicroRNA regulation of smooth muscle development

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We are interested in discovering the genetic pathways that lead to organ development, particularly in the gut and blood vessels. Both of these organs consist of multiple tissue layers, one of which is smooth muscle. Smooth muscle provides the contractility of the gut for digestion and contraction of blood vessels to modulate blood pressure. In this proposal we will explore how a small nucleic acid, miR-143, controls the expression of other genes during development of smooth muscle. We will do this by determining which genes miR-143 regulates, and then understanding how these genes act together to co-ordinate the proper development of smooth muscle.