Publications by authors named "Konner M Winkley"
Background: Inductive signaling interactions between different cell types are a major mechanism for the further diversification of embryonic cell fates. Most blastomeres in the model chordate Ciona robusta become restricted to a single predominant fate between the 64-cell and mid-gastrula stages. The deeply stereotyped and well-characterized Ciona embryonic cell lineages allow the transcriptomic analysis of newly established cell types very early in their divergence from sibling cell states without the pseudotime inference needed in the analysis of less synchronized cell populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe notochord is a defining feature of the chordates. The transcription factor Brachyury (Bra) is a key regulator of notochord fate but here we show that it is not a unitary master regulator in the model chordate Ectopic Bra expression only partially reprograms other cell types to a notochord-like transcriptional profile and a subset of notochord-enriched genes is unaffected by CRISPR Bra disruption. We identify Foxa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Tunicates are a group of marine invertebrates closely related to vertebrates, consisting of larvaceans, thaliaceans, and ascidians, making them important for studying chordate development.
- Research on tunicates has revealed key features like consistent cell lineages during early development and overall simpler body structures compared to other chordates.
- Detailed studies, especially in ascidians, show that their gastrulation process differs significantly from vertebrates, as it relies mainly on endoderm invagination rather than the more complex movements seen in vertebrate embryos.