12:00
The revolution in molecular biology within the last few decades has led to the identification of multiple, diverse inputs into the mechanisms governing the measurement and regulation of organ size. In general, organ size is controlled by both intrinsic, genetic mechanisms as well as extrinsic, physiological factors. Examples of the former include the spatiotemporal regulation of organ size by morphogen gradients, and instances of the latter include the regulation of organ size by endocrine hormones, oxygen availability and nutritional status. However, integrated model platforms, either of in vitro experimental systems amenable to high-resolution imaging or in silico computational models that incorporate both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms are lacking. Here, I will discuss collaborative efforts to bridge the gap between traditional assays employed in developmental biology and computational models through quantitative approaches. In particular, we have developed quantitative image analysis techniques for confocal microscopy data to inform computational models – a critical task in efforts to better understand conserved mechanisms of crosstalk between growth regulatory pathways. Currently, these quantitative approaches are being applied to develop integrated models of epithelial growth in the embryonic Drosophila epidermis and the adolescent wing imaginal disc, due to the wealth of previous genetic knowledge for the system. An integrated model of intrinsic and extrinsic growth control is expected to inspire new approaches in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.