Development and stem cells
In vivo cellular plasticity and direct reprogramming

How differentiated cells can change their identity is a fascinating question in biology and has implications for the development of regenerative medicine strategies. Numerous examples of cellular plasticity in physiological, experimental and pathological settings exist, but precisely how a differentiated cell can change its identity remains unknown. Our research tackles this important question by employing a powerful and innovative model, the nematode C. elegans.
Our work has established the worm as a new model to study cellular reprogramming in vivo at the single cell level. We have shown that direct cell reprogramming events occur during the worm development: for example, a rectal cell changes its identity into a moto-neuron. Because of the C. elegans invariant cellular lineage, our system gives us access to all the steps of the process, including the early ones, a unique asset. We investigate how specific cells, but not their neighbours, become competent to be reprogrammed. We have begun the systematic identification of the molecular networks and the dissection of the cellular requirements underlying direct cell type conversion in vivo. In addition, we are assessing what key aspects have been conserved in cell reprogramming by comparing different cell plasticity events.
Our integrated approach will contribute to unravel the key mechanisms that allow a differentiated cell to become plastic and change its identity. Such knowledge has significant therapeutic implications, as it will deepen our understanding of the initiation of certain cancers, and will improve our ability to reprogram cells for regenerative medicine purposes.
Our team is member of the european network Genie : Group of Elegans New Investigators in Europe.
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Current projects
Our projects are centered on 4 questions and aim at determining the cellular requirements and the molecular circuitry controlling cell plasticity:
• What makes a cell, but not its neighbours, uniquely able to be reprogrammed, in vivo?
• What nuclear events potentiate the initiation of in vivo direct reprogramming?
• How is the cellular potential associated with each intermediate step controlled?
• Do different plasticity events rely on conserved strategies? -
Collaborations
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Prizes/Awards
- Sophie JARRIAULT - ERC Consolidator Grant - European Research Council (ERC) - 2014
- Marie-Charlotte MORIN - "Ma thèse en 180s" 1st prize - CPU / CNRS - 2014
- Sophie JARRIAULT - Prize for fundamental research - Fondation Générale de Santé / Académie des sciences - 2012
- Sophie JARRIAULT - EMBO Young Investigator Award - European Molecular Biology Organization Young Investigator Programme (EMBO YIP) - 2011
- Sophie JARRIAULT - Young investigator Award - European Federation for Systematic Stem Cell Biology (EuroSyStem) - 2010
- Sophie JARRIAULT - Scientific Prize - Fondation Schlumberger pour l'Education et la Recherche (FSER) - 2009
- Sophie JARRIAULT - Scientific Prize - Comité Alsace de la Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) - 2008
- Sophie JARRIAULT - ATIP starting grant - CNRS - 2006
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News
- April 25, 2016 - IGBMC Researchers once again distinguished by the European Research Council
- Aug. 15, 2014 - The keys to the transdifferentiation
- June 11, 2014 - “Ma thèse en 180 secondes”: A story of identity crisis in a small worm remarkably told by Marie-Charlotte Morin
- April 9, 2012 - From test-tube to human living : the transdifferentiation « recipe »
- Nov. 10, 2011 - Two junior researchers awarded by the prestigious european EMBO programme
- March 9, 2011 - Transdifferentiation : the doorway to regenerative medecine
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Publications
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Tissue-Specific Transcription Footprinting Using RNA PoI DamID (RAPID) in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Genetics Dec 2020 ; 216:931-945 .
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MicroPubl Biol Dec. 21, 2020 ; 2020: .
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A simple PCR-based method to follow and genotype alleles with single nucleotide changes.
MicroPubl Biol Feb. 12, 2020 ; 2020: .
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Developmental Plasticity and Cellular Reprogramming in Caenorhabditis elegans
Genetics 2019 ; : .
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An actin-based viscoplastic lock ensures progressive body-axis elongation
Nature 2019 ; : .
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Developmental Plasticity and Cellular Reprogramming in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Genetics Nov 2019 ; 213:723-757 .
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Publisher Correction: An actin-based viscoplastic lock ensures progressive body-axis elongation.
Nature Oct. 3, 2019 .
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Publisher Correction: An actin-based viscoplastic lock ensures progressive body-axis elongation.
Nature Sept. 6, 2019 .
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An actin-based viscoplastic lock ensures progressive body-axis elongation.
Nature Aug. 28, 2019 .
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Cells March 23, 2019 ; 8:279 .
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