Take a look at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute website at
http://www.hhmi.org. There is a list of investigators & research
topics. There are several that investigate growth factors and
differentiation, cell cycling, and the relationship between the two. I
find the work of Richard H. Gomer at Rice particularly interesting. His
research topic is "Determination and Maintenance of Cell Type." He has
isolated a soluble factor from Dictyostelium, an amoeba, that controls
differentiation in a dose dependent manner. There are others doing
development work with drosophila. I think its all part of the same
picture. Let me know what you think.
David McFarland
University of Illinois Biotechnology Center
Flow Cytometry Facility
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 22:22:39 -0500 (CDT)
From: John E McLaughlin <mclau005@maroon.tc.umn.edu>
To: cyto-inbox
Subject: Cellular Interactions / Ploidy level relationship
Dear Cytometry Group,
I would like to know if any "flowers" out there are researching
the link between intercellular contact and ploidy level. A review article
of polyteny research on murine trophoblast giant cells (Int. Rev.
Cytology 1996. Vol 165: 53-119) lists both in vivo and in vitro
observations in which different degrees of intercellular contact influence
cell ploidy level: higher degree of intercellular contact- diploid
level; lower degree of contact- nuclei of up to 256 C observed.
My interest in this area concerns the growth potential of maize
endosperm cells. Perhaps the extent of endoreduplication that occurs
within this tissue is also related to cellular contacts, ie. cells "fill
in" the available space as the kernel develops. The maternal and
environmental conditions possibly having a major influence on cell
density/endosperm size potential/starch-protein accumulation that would
influence the dynamics of cellular contacts as the endosperm grows.
If possible I would like to try and somehow correlate histological
sections with flow data on a developmental basis. If you are performing
any research that would be relevant to this issue or have suggestions,
please let me know.
Thank you,
John McLaughlin (RA)
University of Minnesota
Agronomy and Plant Genetics