Our previous work showed that ATP release during cell death helps stem cells commit to the mesoderm by activating the P2Y2 receptor (Fort et al, Nat. Cell Biol. 2022). However, how this receptor senses and integrates signals from its environment is still poorly understood. We explore how P2Y2 interacts with the cytoskeleton and adhesion receptors to guide cell fate decisions.
In the long term, these studies will reveal how the same mechanisms that drive normal development may also contribute to processes like epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer progression.