Spatial Segregation of Polarity Determinants in Embryos of the Nematode Worm C. elegans

Polarization, where cells segregate specific factors to distinct domains, is a fundamental and evolutionarily conserved biological process. Polarizing cells often rely on the same toolkit of proteins and lipids, including actin, myosin, microtubules and the Par and Rho protein families. In this talk, I will present experimental and theoretical work demonstrating the importance of Par protein oligomerization for stable spatial segregation in early embryos of C. elegans. I will discuss some current research directions in my lab, including the incorporation of Rho proteins into our theoretical and experimental frameworks.