BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship: Role or imprinted nutrient transporters in fetal growth and development
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The overall objective of this fellowship application is to study the role of imprinted nutrient transporters in fetal growth and development. The specific aims are: 1) To study the role of the imprinted amino-acid transporter Slc38a4 in fetal and placental physiology; 2) To identify novel imprinted nutrient transporter genes by using genomic approaches and perform functional studies by using conditional knock-out technologies.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Miguel Constancia (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Angiolini E
(2011)
Developmental adaptations to increased fetal nutrient demand in mouse genetic models of Igf2-mediated overgrowth
in The FASEB Journal
Coan PM
(2011)
Dietary composition programmes placental phenotype in mice.
in The Journal of physiology
Coan PM
(2008)
Adaptations in placental nutrient transfer capacity to meet fetal growth demands depend on placental size in mice.
in The Journal of physiology
Coan PM
(2010)
Adaptations in placental phenotype support fetal growth during undernutrition of pregnant mice.
in The Journal of physiology
Coan PM
(2008)
Disproportional effects of Igf2 knockout on placental morphology and diffusional exchange characteristics in the mouse.
in The Journal of physiology
Cooper WN
(2010)
How genome-wide approaches can be used to unravel the remaining secrets of the imprintome.
in Briefings in functional genomics
Dilworth MR
(2010)
Placental-specific Igf2 knockout mice exhibit hypocalcemia and adaptive changes in placental calcium transport.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Ferrón SR
(2015)
Differential genomic imprinting regulates paracrine and autocrine roles of IGF2 in mouse adult neurogenesis.
in Nature communications
Fowden AL
(2009)
Placental efficiency and adaptation: endocrine regulation.
in The Journal of physiology
| Description | We made several discoveries: 1- shown that Igf2 is a major genetic regulator of both nutrient supply and fetal demand for maternal nutrients 2- the placenta adapts functionally to fetal demand signals by up regulating nutrient transporters 3- System A aminoacid transporters are essential nutrient supply signals to the fetus and major determinants of fetal growth |
| Exploitation Route | We developed unique transgenic mouse strains that model human intra-uterine growth restriction by manipulating Igf2 or system A amino-acid transporters. The Igf2 models have been sent out to more than 10 labs around the world for further studies on diverse aspects of biology of this growth factor, ranging from neurogenesis and stem cells to immunity and bone growth. |
| Sectors | Education,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |