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REGULATION OF FLUID SECRETION

Regulation of fluid secretion:
   Fluid secretion is important for both developmental processes such as lumen expansion during organogenesis as well as in human diseases such as cystic fibrosis, polycystic kidney disease and secretory diarrheas.

Lumen expansion:
   During morphogenesis fluid secretion drives lumen expansion in many organs. Fluid secretion is typically driven by modulating osmotic gradients, regulated by the movement of anions. An important anion channel regulating fluid secretion in vertebrate development and disease is CFTR. In the zebrafish, cftr regulates fluid secretion and lumen expansion necessary for the function of Kupffer's vesicle, an early fluid-filled organ. We are continuing to investigate new roles for cftr-dependent fluid secretion during organogenesis.

Genetic control of fluid secretion:
   We have taken a forward genetic approach to uncover novel regulators of fluid secretion. By mapping mutants with misregulated fluid secretion and accumulation, we hope to identify new therapeutic targets for treatment of human diseases and disorders.

A mutant with aberrant fluid secretion in the gut

A mutant with misregulated fluid secretion in the ear

Tg(sox17:GFP); TgBAC(cftr-RFP) labeling Kupffer’s vesicle in a 10ss embryo

Tg(sox17:GFP); TgBAC(cftr--RFP) embryo shows CFTR localized to the luminal surface of Kupffer’s vesicle

A model of ion transport and fluid secretion in polarized epithelial cells