PROJECTS

Polarization, which confers asymmetry at molecular, cellular and tissue scales, is a fundamental process establishing key features of biological systems. In multicellular organisms, symmetry breaking triggers the specification of embryonic body axes, providing general landmarks for subsequent morphogenetic programs. Cells and tissues acquire complex morphological and functional polarity features, which, remarkably, are highly precisely positioned within the general body landmarks. The lab is interested in understanding the mechanisms setting the spatial orientation of some selected polarity processes, taking place during the formation of the nervous system. We investigate the topography of progenitor cell divisions, and neuronal differentiation, using the developing spinal cord and sensorimotor circuits as a model. We also investigate how topographic cues impact on a closely related pathological context, the neuroblastoma, a neuro-developmental cancer arising from trunk neural cell crest. We exploit chick and mouse embryo animal models, combined with live imaging, cell and tissue cultures and molecular approaches.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Spatial and temporal profiling of receptor membrane insertion controls commissural axon responses to midline repellents.
  Pignata A, Ducuing H, Boubakar L, Gardette T, Kindbeiter K, Bozon M, Tauszig-Delamasure S, Falk J, Thoumine O, Castellani V. Cell Rep. (2019) 29, 347–362, October 8.
• Hijacking of Embryonic Programs by Neural Crest-Derived Neuroblastoma: From Physiological Migration to Metastatic Dissemination.
  Delloye-Bourgeois C, Castellani V. Front Mol Neurosci. (2019) Mar 1;12:52.
• Septin functions during neuro-development, a yeast perspective.
  Falk J, Boubakar L, Castellani V. Curr Opin Neurobiol. (2019) Feb 18;57:102-109
• Commissural axon navigation in the spinal cord: A repertoire of repulsive forces is in command
  Ducuing H, Gardette T, Pignata A, Tauszig-Delamasure S, Castellani V. Semin Cell Dev Biol. (2019) S1084-9521:30286-0.
• Microenvironment-Driven Shift of Cohesion/Detachment Balance within Tumors Induces a Switch toward Metastasis in Neuroblastoma
  Delloye-Bourgeois C, Bertin L, Thoinet K, Jarrosson L, Kindbeiter K, Buffet T, Tauszig-Delamasure S, Bozon M, Marabelle A, Combaret V, Bergeron C, Derrington E, Castellani V. Cancer Cell (2017) 32:427-443.
• Molecular Memory of Morphologies by Septins during Neuron Generation Allows Early Polarity Inheritance
  Boubakar L, Falk J, Ducuing H, Thoinet K, Reynaud F, Derrington E, Castellani V. Neuron (2017) 95:834-851.
• Genetic specification of left-right asymmetry in the diaphragm muscles and their motor innervation
  Charoy C, Dinvaut S, Chaix Y, Morlé L, Sanyas I, Bozon M, Kindbeiter K, Durand B, Skidmore JM, De Groef L, Seki M, Moons L, Ruhrberg C, Martin JF, Martin DM, Falk J, Castellani V. Elife (2017) e18481.
• Cerebrospinal fluid-derived Semaphorin3B orients neuroepithelial cell divisions in the apicobasal axis
  Arbeille E, Reynaud F, Sanyas I, Bozon M, Kindbeiter K, Causeret F, Pierani A, Falk J, Moret F, Castellani V. Nat Comm (2015) 27;6:6366.
• PlexinA1 is a new Slit receptor and mediates axon guidance function of Slit C-terminal fragments
  Delloye-Bourgeois C, Jacquier A, Charoy C, Reynaud F, Nawabi H, Thoinet K, Kindbeiter K, Yoshida Y, Zagar Y, Kong Y, Jones YE, Falk J, Chédotal A, Castellani V. Nat Neurosci. (2014) 18:36-45.
• Use of pHluorin to assess the dynamics of axon guidance receptors in cell culture and in the chick embryo
  Delloye-Bourgeois C, Jacquier A, Falk J, Castellani V. JOVE (2014) 12:e50883.
• gdnf activates midline repulsion by Semaphorin3B via NCAM during commissural axon guidance
  Charoy C, Nawabi H, Reynaud F, Derrington E, Bozon M, Wright K, Falk J, Helmbacher F, Kindbeiter K, Castellani V.Neuron (2012) 75:1051-66.

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