Logan group ::

Development of the vertebrate limbs

The goal of our work is to understand how normal limb development is controlled and to uncover the origins of defects that lead to limb abnormalities in humans.

The limbs of the vertebrate embryo are first evident as outgrowths, or buds, that protrude from the side of the main body axis. The limb buds are formed from discrete regions of the flank of the embryo in response to cues from adjacent tissue in the trunk. At early stages of embryonic development, the forelimb and hindlimb buds are morphologically uniform and indistinguishable from one another. During subsequent steps of development however, dramatic changes take place. Each bud develops to form a complex of interconnected limb elements comprised of bone, muscle, and tendon with morphologies characteristic of either the forelimb or hindlimb. We are interested in understanding the mechanisms that control the initiation of limb bud formation and the subsequent construction of the individual limb elements during embryonic development. This involves the coordination of many processes including the allocation of cell fate, control of cell migration pathways and the control of rates of cell proliferation and programmed cell death. These mechanisms are fundamental in the construction of the developing embryo and their disruption during normal human development can cause birth defects and disease.

• Understanding limb development
• Potential benefits
• 3-D models of limb development

• Logan group
• Recent publications