Komatsu Lab
Cell-Cell Communication: Unlocking the Mechanisms of Development and Disease
Although virtually every cell in the body contains the same genomic information, how do cells acquire distinct identities and organize themselves into the remarkable diversity of tissues and organs that define the human body? A fundamental answer lies in cell-cell communication. Through precisely coordinated, spatiotemporally regulated signaling, cells interpret their surrounding environment and orchestrate the proliferation and differentiation programs required to establish specialized cell populations and build complex tissues and organs. When these communication networks are disrupted, the consequences can be profound, leading to abnormal tissue development, congenital malformations, and a wide spectrum of human diseases. Understanding how cells communicate during embryogenesis and maintain tissue homeostasis throughout adulthood is therefore fundamental to uncovering the mechanisms underlying development and disease, and may ultimately open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.