Centrosomes during mouse development

The Bazzi lab research is centered on cell division and cell fate in early embryonic development and skin development in the mouse. Centrosomes in animal cells help nucleate the mitotic spindle and facilitate cell division. Mammalian cells respond to centrosome loss-of-function by activating a mitotic timing mechanism that leads to p53-dependent cell death or cell cycle arrest in the daughter cells.

As such, mouse embryos without centrosomes undergo embryonic arrest at mid-gestation. The seminar will focus on the biology of centrosomes in mouse embryos and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs).