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SUMMARY:Development and evolution of vertebrate electroreceptors - Melinda
  Modrell\, University of Cambridge\, UK
DTSTART:20130529T120000Z
DTEND:20130529T130000Z
UID:TALK45243@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:25354
DESCRIPTION:Electroreception is an ancient vertebrate sense with a fascina
 ting\nevolutionary history involving multiple losses as well as independen
 t\nevolution at least twice within teleosts. This sense is mediated by\nmo
 dified hair cells similar to those found in the inner ear and in the\nlate
 ral line neuromasts of fishes and amphibians. Our goal is to understand\nt
 he development and evolution of vertebrate electroreceptors\, including th
 e\nindependent evolution of teleost electroreceptors\, by studying their\n
 embryological origins\, and the genes expressed during their development\,
  in\na range of vertebrate species. I will discuss several lines of eviden
 ce\nthat support the homology of non-teleost electroreceptors\, including 
 recent\nfate-mapping studies from our lab demonstrating a lateral line pla
 code\norigin for electroreceptors in both a basal ray-finned fish (paddlef
 ish)\nand a cartilaginous fish (little skate). Focusing primarily on data 
 from\npaddlefish\, I will also present findings from a transcriptomic 'scr
 een'\naimed at identifying genes involved in electroreceptor development a
 nd\nfunction. Using these approaches\, we are beginning to reveal the exte
 nt to\nwhich molecular mechanisms of electroreceptor development are conse
 rved\nboth across different electoreceptive taxa (including teleosts) and 
 with\nmechanosensory hair cell development.
LOCATION:Main Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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