# Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Epithelial Cell Apical Polarity and Ciliogenesis

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2023 · $335,290

## Abstract

Project Summary
Epithelial cells exhibit remarkable apicobasal subcellular polarity that is essential for the proper functioning of
epithelial tissues and allows epithelial cells to form a specialized apical structures, such as apical primary cilia.
Finally, epithelial cells coordinate their polarization with neighboring cells to form an apical lumen, a key step in
the establishment of renal architecture, and thereby function. Accordingly, mutations that disrupt function of
molecules necessary for apicobasal polarization and apical cilia formation result in a variety of renal disorders,
such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Thus, the overarching goal of this project is to characterize the
molecular machinery coordinating apical lumen formation and ciliogenesis in kidney. To that end, we designed
three specific aims. In the aim#1 we will analyze investigate the molecular machinery that determines where
and when apical lumen forms and how that is coordinated with ciliogenesis. Specifically, we will test the role of
newly identified polarity regulator Tbc1d1 in mediating lumenogenesis during kidney development. In the
aim#2 we will dissect the coordination between the apical lumenogenesis and primary cilia formation/signaling.
We recently identified Rab19 as Tbc1d1 binding protein and have shown that Rab19 is required for cilia
formation. Thus, we will investigate the role of Rab19 in mediating cilia formation and targeting of cilia resident
proteins. Finally, in aim#3 we will test dissect the mechanisms mediating kidney lumenogenesis and
ciliogenesis in vivo using zebrafish. Completion of this project will provide a novel insight in understanding the
molecular machinery and regulation of kidney epithelial cell polarization and cilia formation during normal
epithelial tissue morphogenesis and in disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10681440
- **Project number:** 5R01DK064380-19
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Rytis Prekeris
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $335,290
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2004-01-15 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10681440

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10681440, Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Epithelial Cell Apical Polarity and Ciliogenesis (5R01DK064380-19). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10681440. Licensed CC0.

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