Dr. Lacy's research on mouse development has identified a previously unrecognized player in the regulation of stem/progenitor cell differentiation-nuclear pore complex (NPC) composition. Her laboratory research seeks to elucidate the role of NPC composition by defining the requirement for Nup133, one of the NPC's 30 protein components, in stem and progenitor cells of the embryo and adult. The lab will ask: Do embryonic progenitor cells require Nup133 to execute commitment to a terminal differentiation pathway? Do NPCs of differentiated cells lack Nup133 to stabilize their gene expression profile? Do NPCs of adult stem cells lack Nup133 as protection against inadvertent responses to differentiation signals, while derivative progenitor cells express Nup133 to facilitate differentiation?
Lupu F, Alves A, Anderson K, Doye V, Lacy E. Nuclear pore composition regulates neural stem/progenitor cell differentiation in the mouse embryo. Dev Cell. 2008 Jun;14(6):831-42.
Strope S, Rivi R, Metzger T, Manova K, Lacy E. Mouse amnionless, which is required for primitive streak assembly, mediates cell-surface localization and endocytic function of cubilin on visceral endoderm and kidney proximal tubules. Development. 2004 Oct;131(19):4787-95. Epub 2004 Sep 1. Erratum in: Development. 2004 Oct;131(4):5211.