Responsibilities
Research unit leader, Sensory Biology & Organogenesis
Contact
Research Unit Sensory Biology & Organogenesis
Ingolstädter Landstr. 1
D-85764 Neuherberg
Phone:
+49 (0)89 / 3187-3181
Fax:
+49 (0)89 / 3187-3192
Email:
hernan.lopez-schier@helmholtz-muenchen.de
Website:
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/sbo/die-abteilung/index.html
Further Information
Research focus:
Mechanosensory is one of our essential modalities responsible for detecting cutaneous mechanosensation, visceral mechanonociception, hearing and balance. Our research interests are focused on understanding the fundamental principles that govern the assembly, regeneration and function of mechanosensory epithelia and their associated neuronal circuits. We believe that shedding light on these questions is important because it will let us understand how sensory organs have evolved, how they work, and also how structural changes associated to diseases impact on their function. Our methods are grounded in the traditions of cell biology, high-resolution live microscopy, biological physics and ethology. We primarily employ the zebrafish as experimental system, although we also use cultured mammalian cells and organoids as complements.
Key words: Sensory biology Mechanosensation Behavioural neuroscience
Selected publications:
Xiao Y, Tian W, López-Schier H. (2015) Optogenetic stimulation of neuronal repair. Curr. Biol. 25(22):R1068-9.
Xiao Y, Faucherre A, Pola-Morell L, Heddleston JM, Liu TL, Chew TL, Sato F, Sehara-Fujisawa A, Kawakami K, López-Schier H. (2015) High-resolution live imaging reveals axon-glia interactions during peripheral nerve injury and repair in zebrafish. Dis. Model Mech. 8(6):553-64.
Pujol-Martí J, Faucherre A, Aziz-Bose R, Asgharsharghi A, Colombelli J, Trapani JG, López-Schier H. (2014) Converging axons collectively initiate and maintain synaptic selectivity in a constantly remodeling sensory organ. Curr. Biol. 24(24):2968-74
Pujol-Martí J, Zecca F, Baudoin J-P, Faucherre A, Asakawa K, Kawakami K and López-Schier H. (2012) Neuronal birth order identifies a dimorphic sensorineural map. Journal of Neuroscience 32(9): 2976-87.
Faucherre A and López-Schier H. (2011) Delaying Gal4-driven gene expression in the zebrafish with morpholinos and Gal80. PLoS ONE 26;6(1):e16587.
Wibowo I, Pinto-Texeira F, Satou C, Higajishima S-i and López-Schier H. (2011) Compartmentalized Notch signaling sustains epithelial mirror symmetry. Development 138(6):1143-52.
López-Schier H and Hudspeth AJ. (2006) A two-step mechanism underlies the planar polarization of regenerating sensory hair cells. P.N.A.S. 103(49): 18615-18620.
López-Schier H, Starr C, Kappler JA, Kollmar R and Hudspeth AJ. (2004) Directional cell migration establishes the axes of planar polarity in the posterior lateral-line organ of the zebrafish. Developmental Cell 7: 401–412.