# Mechanisms of Cell Communication in Animal Development

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · 2021 · $375,938

## Abstract

SUMMARY
The broad objective of my research is to answer a major question in cell and developmental biology: how do
cells communicate morphogenetic signals to create tissue patterns in animals. Within a developmental field
cells can precisely regulate the levels, timing and location of signal exchange. Any aberration in this control
mechanism leads to developmental malformations and disease. Most existing models propose that signaling
proteins diffuse in the extracellular space to generate concentration gradients, and that these extracellular
gradients regulate growth, migration and patterning of target cells. However, a major focus of my research
program is to understand a radically different mechanism - the ‘direct delivery’ of signals by specialized actin-
rich signaling filopodia, named cytonemes. My previous work explored and first established the functional role
of this novel mechanism in Drosophila. My work showed that cells use cytonemes to directly exchange signals
and that cytoneme-mediated signaling is essential for cell-cell communication. My recent work is focused on
Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), a key signaling protein in metazoan development, and its dispersion from cell
to cell by cytonemes. We demonstrated that FGF acts as a morphogen that elicits concentration-dependent
responses during tracheal development, that the FGF gradient is controlled by protease-dependent cleavage
of the molecule, and that the FGF gradient is formed by cytoneme-mediated signaling. Recently, we also have
uncovered a complex post-translation processing of FGF that may control its contact-dependent exchange. My
current research is taking advantage of powerful state-of-the art microscopic imaging, biochemistry, cell
biology and Drosophila genetics to continue to explore and investigate the mechanisms that control cytoneme
mediated signal exchange and signal dispersion. Given the conservation of signaling mechanisms in all
animals, our research will have a lasting impact on knowledge about development and disease in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10222715
- **Project number:** 5R35GM124878-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
- **Principal Investigator:** Sougata Roy
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $375,938
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10222715

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10222715, Mechanisms of Cell Communication in Animal Development (5R35GM124878-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10222715. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*