Molecular mechanisms regulating cell fate

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Cells interact with their environment through proteins at the cell surface, known as receptors. Through a domino effect, the activation of these receptors causes activation of a series of proteins inside in the cell. This series of proteins is known as a signalling pathway. These pathways then instruct the cell how to respond to its environment. By activating these pathways, a cell can be instructed to, among other consequences, divide, develop, or die. Sometimes activation of the same pathway can result in drastically different consequences depending on the cell type or other environmental signals. It is not clear how activation of the same pathway can result in different consequences for the cell, or cell fates. The Christian lab is interested in understanding the mechanisms that direct different cell fates even when common proteins, receptors or pathways are activated. To begin this work, we will focus on a model system where one receptor, known as CD24, causes very different effects depending on the cell type. Cells that are destined to become antibody-producing cells, known as B cells, will die if CD24 is activated. In contrast, in some cancer cells CD24 instructs the cell to survive. Our goal is to identify the mechanisms that determine if a specific cell will live or die in response to CD24. These studies will significantly improve our understanding of how cells decide if they will live or die. Furthermore, the characterization of these mechanisms may identify proteins that could be targeted to alter the ability of a cell to live or die.