2016 Group Project 3

2016 Student Projects
Signalling: 1 Wnt | 2 Notch | 3 FGF Receptor | 4 Hedgehog | 5 T-box | 6 TGF-Beta
2016 Group Project Topic - Signaling in Development OK you are now in a group, add a topic with your student signature to the group page.
This page is an undergraduate science embryology student project and may contain inaccuracies in either descriptions or acknowledgements.

Group Assessment Criteria
Science Student Projects The key points relating to the topic that your group allocated are clearly described. The choice of content, headings and sub-headings, diagrams, tables, graphs show a good understanding of the topic area. Content is correctly cited and referenced. The wiki has an element of teaching at a peer level using the student's own innovative diagrams, tables or figures and/or using interesting examples or explanations. Evidence of significant research relating to basic and applied sciences that goes beyond the formal teaching activities. Relates the topic and content of the Wiki entry to learning aims of embryology. Clearly reflects on editing/feedback from group peers and articulates how the Wiki could be improved (or not) based on peer comments/feedback. Demonstrates an ability to review own work when criticised in an open edited wiki format. Reflects on what was learned from the process of editing a peer's wiki. Evaluates own performance and that of group peers to give a rounded summary of this wiki process in terms of group effort and achievement. The content of the wiki should demonstrate to the reader that your group has researched adequately on this topic and covered the key areas necessary to inform your peers in their learning. Develops and edits the wiki entries in accordance with the above guidelines.
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Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Pathway

Introduction

The Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signalling pathway is critical for regulating progenitor cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and patterning. It is involved in the regulation and development of the early embryo, and is considered to be critical for normal vascular, skeletal and organ development. Furthermore, this pathway is involved in maintaining adult tissues through the regulation of metabolic functions and tissue repair (which is often through the reactivation of the same signalling pathways involved in early development.)

This page will outline the FGFR signalling pathway, the history of scientific discoveries relevant to this pathway, receptor sub-types and a description of signal transduction. It will also describe its various roles in embryonic development including its influence on the patterning of the embryonic axis, as well as limb bud, bone, kidney, external genitalia and inner ear development. There is also a discussion of relevant animals models, such as those of the chick embryo, as well as abnormalities in this pathway relevant to embryonic development, including Achondroplasia, Pfeiffer syndrome and Apert syndrome. A short informative quiz accompanied with feedback is offered for readers to determine how much they have learnt from the information provided. A glossary at the bottom of the page explains specific terms mentioned throughout, along with links to relevant information from UNSW embryology lectures.

History

Ranging from its discovery in 1939 till the present, much has been learned about the nature of Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in embryonic development. Researchers had noticed the growth stimulating effects that these isolated factors had, in that they induced fibroblast proliferation. Due to their ability to stimulate fibroblast proliferation they were termed "FGFs". Today, a variety of subtypes of FGFs have been discovered and categorised into a large family that exist in organisms including humans as well as nematodes. In addition, it was soon discovered that not all FGFs can stimulate fibroblasts.

The table below outlines some of the significant scientific discoveries regarding the FGFR signalling pathway over the years, as outlined in a review article.

Year	Scientific Discovery Regarding FGF/FGFR Signalling
1939	The first paper on FGFs was published through experiments that measured the mitogenic activity of saline extracts of different tissues from the chick. Early work also investigated the idea that uncontrolled proliferation is a hallmark of cancers and the involvement of growth factors such as FGF.
1974	FGF growth factor activity was shown to stimulate the growth of a fibroblast cell line in partially purified extracts from bovine pituitary. This lead to the term "fibroblast growth factor" to be derived.
1987	The interaction with heparin that FGFs have was translated into work regarding the interaction of FGFs with the glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate within the pericellular and extracellular matrix.
1989	FGF1 and FGF2 were isolated from brain tissue.
1990	FGFR tyrosine kinases were identified for the first time
1991	FGFs were also shown to display growth factor activities on fibroblasts. In addition, the dependence of the growth factor activity of FGFs on heparan sulfate was discovered.
2005	A further set of FGF proteins termed the FGF homology factors were found to be wholly intracellular such that they do not interact with any of the extracellular receptors and partners of FGFs.
2013	A small group of FGFs were found to not bind heparan sulfate, but instead to interact with a protein co-receptor named Klotho.