Evolutionary origin of stem cells and the emergence of animal complexity

该项目旨在破译干细胞规范和形成的基本机制。所有动物都依靠干细胞来补充、修复和再生组织。干细胞通常也是恶性肿瘤的通道。该项目试图通过对一种简单而古老的动物--昆士兰海绵的研究，揭示干细胞形成的规律。该项目计划将来自简单、可实验处理的海绵干细胞系统的见解与现有的人类和其他动物干细胞规格知识相结合，以揭示干细胞形成的基本特征。这些洞察力可能会为未来在癌症和再生药物中产生、控制和使用干细胞的追求提供指导。

The project aims to decipher the fundamental mechanisms governing stem cell specification and formation. All animals rely on stem cells to replenish, repair and regenerate tissues. Stem cells are also often a conduit to malignant tumours. This project seeks to uncover the rules governing stem cell formation through the study of a simple and ancient animal – the marine sponge Amphimedon queenslandica. The project plans to combine insights from the simple, experimentally-tractable sponge stem cell system with existing knowledge of stem cell specification in humans and other animals, to reveal the essential features of stem cell formation. These insights may inform future pursuits to generate, control and use stem cells in cancer and regenerative medicines.