2023 AIChE Annual Meeting

Spatial Mapping of the Embryonic Lung and Salivary Gland Development

Branching morphogenesis is a key process during embryonic development that shapes epithelial tubes into the tree-like architectures observed in mature organs, including the airways of the lung and ducts of the salivary gland. Although both organs contain trees of epithelial tubes that form via a similar branching process, it remains unclear whether their development is regulated by common or divergent mechanisms. Exploring the similarities and differences may uncover information that could be used to improve overall respiratory and oral health (i.e., treatments for congenital lung diseases and salivary gland disorders). Furthermore, a better understanding of branching morphogenesis could also suggest innovative tissue engineering approaches to regenerate or replace lung or salivary tissue.

To this end, it is important to understand the spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression that take place within the developing lung and salivary gland, which can provide a clue to the underlying signaling pathways and patterns of differentiation in each organ. Thus, my project is focused on high-resolution spatial transcriptomic mapping of the murine embryonic lung and salivary glands, specifically focused on exploring patterns of gene expression at branch points during morphogenesis. I combine spatial transcriptomics with deterministic barcoding and computational analysis to explore the potential correlation between spatial patterns of gene expression and patterns of differentiation at branch points. My project will uncover the extent to which branching is regulated by a conserved signaling pathway in the embryonic lung and salivary gland.