Chris Thompson's Project

FGFR functions during skeletal development

Chris’ project centers around the investigation of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) functions during skeletal development. Fgfr3 is known to antagonize chondrocyte proliferation in the long bones, and Chris has found that Fgfr4 also functions in this regard. While Fgfr3-/- mice have bone defects, Fgfr3-/-Fgfr4+/- mice have more severe defects, especially in the posterior, as the tail emerges from the body at a sharp angle. This deformation can be seen clearly in skeletal preparations, in which the sacral vertebrae themselves are distorted. Histologically is is clear that the boen growth is highly unbalanced, and the vertebral centra are lateralized and reduced, or absent.