![A Novel Cell Communication System]()
Following tissue injury, specialized cell-surface receptors transmit signals to mitochondria--the organelles that generate energy for the cell and contribute to cellular repair, growth and division. But just how these receptors communicate with mitochondria has not been clear. In a letter published in the November 24, 2016 issue of Nature, a group of Einstein researchers including co-lead authors Dario Riascos-Bernal and Lily Cao, working under the supervision of Nicholas Sibinga, M.D., describe a novel molecular signaling mechanism that controls mitochondrial activity. Following blood-vessel injury, a cell-surface receptor called FAT1 is processed and activated to control mitochondrial function and cell growth during vascular repair. Aberrant expression of the FAT1 gene has been linked to several cancers, abnormal renal developmental and neurologic disorders. Dr. Sibinga is professor of medicine and of developmental and molecular biology.
Posted on: Friday, January 06, 2017