Department of Zoology

Principal Investigators

Research area - Cell Biology

Research is on the structure and function of intercellular junctions, especially in the tissues of arthropods and urochordates. Particular attention has been paid to the intramembranous assembly of these as visualised in freeze-fracture replicas. Tight and gap junctions, as well as septate junctions, (this last type unique to the invertebrates) have been analysed in this way and the lateral migration of junctional IMPs (intramembranous particles) into functional macular plaques or linear arrays has been observed and documented. Deep-etching investigations are clarifying the mechanisms of the underlying cytoskeletal attachments to junctional membrane components. This research is in collaboration with Italian colleagues as is that on the embryonic development of ascidian neural ganglion gland.

Studies are also being made of cultured endothelial cells isolated from rat brain microvasculature in collaboration with physiologists at King's College London, with special concern for junctional contacts.

Working with the National Institute of Ageing at the NIH in Bethesda, studies are underway on trisomic murine systems and cultured cells which serve as models of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Studies are also in progress on the effects of ?-amyloid, the protein which helps form the plaques which characteristic of the AD brain.

Current positions

1. Director, WiSETI initiative from 1999 to 2007
   Consultative Director, WiSETI initiative from 2007 http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/personnel/equality/wiseti/
2. Chair, Athena Project, Royal Society http://www.athenaproject.org.uk/
3. Partner UK resource centre for women http://www.setwomenresource.org.uk/
4. Council member, Biosciences Federation http://www.bsf.ac.uk
5. Immediate Past President, IoB, http://www.iob.org/

Selected publications

• Lane, N.J. 2001. Tight junctions in invertebrates. Chapter 3 In: Tight Junctions. (Second edition) Eds. M Cereijido and J. Anderson. pp 39-59. CRC Press, New York.

• Lane, N.J., Manni, L., Burighel, P., Zariolo, G. 2001. Ascidian brain originates from the neural gland primordium. Proceedings of the 14th International Congress of Comparative Endocrinologists. Sorrento, Italy, 26-30 May, Eds. Goos, Rastogi, Vavory, Pierantoni, 239-244.
• Manni, L., Lane, N.J., Burighel, P. and Zaniolo, G. 2001. Are neural crest and placodes exclusive to vertebrates? Evol. Dev. 3:5, 297-298.
• Zaniolo, G., Lane, N.J. Burighel, P. and Manni, L. 2002. Development of the motor nervous system in ascidians. Journal Comparative Neurology, 443, 124-135.
• Manni, L., Lane, N.J., Zaniolo, G. and Burighel, P., 2002. Cell reorganization during epithelial fusion and perforation: the case of ascidian branchial fissures. Developmental Dynamics, 224, 303-313.
• Burighel, P., Lane, N.J., Fabio, G., Stefano, T., Zaniolo, G., Carnevali, M. D-C. and Manni, L. 2003. Novel, secondary sensory cell organ in Ascidians. In search of the ancestor of the vertebrate lateral line. J. Comp. Neurol., 461, 236-249.
• Manni, L., Lane, N.J., Joly, J-S., Gasparini, F., Tiozzo, S., Caicci, F., Zaniolo, G and Burighel, Pl. 2004. Neurogenic and Non Neurogenic Placodes in Ascidians. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol), 302B, 483-504.