Our main interest is to understand at the molecu­lar and cellular levels, how a complex embryo is generated from a single cell. We are particularly focused on the events occurring during the first stages of development, starting from fertilization up to the gastrula stage. Some of the questions we are trying to answer are: How the dorsal-ventral axis is specified?; How the tissues along the dorso-ventral axis are patterned?; What are the mechanism that regulate cell movement dur­ing the process of gastrulation?. To answer these questions we use embryos from Xenopus laevis, a model system that has been fundamental for the current knowledge of development. More re­cently we have started to use Xenopus tropicalis, a model that could also be analyzed by genomic approaches.

Another interest in our lab. is to understand the molecular and cellular basis of tissue regenera­tion. For this Xenopus larvae are also a great model system. It is known already for many years that Xenopus tadpoles are able to regenerate a complete tail and limb after amputation. Impor­tantly, tail regeneration is an excellent model to study the mechanisms of spinal cord, carti­lage, vascular and muscular regeneration. Fur­thermore, the possibility to undertake genomic analysis makes Xenopus tropicalis a convenient model to study tissue regeneration.

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