An important step towards regenerative medicine
This project investigates the structures of heparan sulphate proteoglycans that control the tissue development and aging including liver, heart, kidney, palate and brain by studying genetically modified mice. Proteoglycans bind to the growth signaling molecules via their charged sugar chains but little is known about the relative importance of the different proteoglycans in these tissues and how the different sugar structures change during regeneration. This proposal will provide a significant shift in our fundamental understanding of the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the development of complex tissues and organs and the way they the integrity of the basement membrane maintains function.