We are a developmental biology lab using the mouse inner ear to investigate topics of cellular morphogenesis and polarity. Our efforts are linked by an overarching goal to inderstand the establishment and maintenance of planar cell polarity (PCP) in cells, tissues and neurons. Current projects address outstanding questions in vestibular hair cell development and cochlear innervation.
We are a collection of graduate students, postdocs, research specialists and otolaryngology residents with common interests in inner ear development, hearing and balance.
Fgf8 genetic labeling reveals the early specification of vestibular hair cell type in mouse utricle. Ratzan EM, Moon AM, Deans MR. Development. 2020 Nov
19;147(22):dev192849. PMID: 33046506 |DOI: 10.1242/dev.192849
Frizzled3 and Frizzled6 cooperate with Vangl2 to direct cohclear innvervation by type II spiral ganglion neurons. Ghimire SR, Deans MR. J. Neuroscience. 2019 Oct 9;39(41). PMID: 31462532 |DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1740-19.2019
A non-autonomous function of the core PCP protein Vangl2 directs peripheral axon turning in the developing cochlea. Ghimire SR, Ratzan EM, Deans MR. Development. 2018 June 14; 145(12). PMID: 29784671 |DOI: 10.1242/dev.159012
Domineering non-autonomy in Vangl1;Vangl2 double mutants demonstrates intercellular PCP signaling in the vertebrate inner ear. Stoller ML, Roman OR, Deans MR. Developmental Biology. 2018 May 1;437(1):17-26. PMID: 29510119 |DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.02.021
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