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Research Summary

Molecular organization of plasma membrane compartments

Our goal is to understand the functions of key molecules (such as the cytoskeletal protein gephyrin and the integrin receptors) in the formation and stabilization of synapses and other intercellular junctions. While their precise actions are not known, these molecules play crucial roles in the function of animal tissues by helping cells to link with each other and with the extracelllar matrix, and by organizing the formation of specialized subcellular compartments at the plasma membrane. If these compartments are inappropriately formed and stabilized, the concerted actions of neighboring cells may fail, resulting in the malfunctioning of animal tissues.