Araya

GROUP LEADER NAME (as it appears in publications): Claudio Araya

AFFILIATION: Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile.

TEL:* 00-56-63-221203

FAX:* 00-56-63-221203

EMAIL:* arayaclaudio@yahoo.com / claudio.araya@uach.cl

WEB: in progress.

GROUP NAME / RESEARCH INTEREST IN FEW WORDS:

Claudio Araya’s group. Interest: Zebrafish, tissue morphogenesis, neurulation, apico-basal polarity, cell movements, imaging analysis.

SHORT SUMMARY OF RESEARCH INTEREST (MAX. 200 WORDS):

Our group is interested to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control tissue morphogenesis during embryonic development. We are currently studying the process of zebrafish neurulation as in vivo genetic system to understand two main questions: a) how individual cell behavior controls large-scale of tissue remodeling, and b) how apico-basal polarity is established during this process. By combining powerful quantitative analyses and time-lapse imaging approach we hope bring key understanding of mechanisms that control embryonic tissue development as well as in other biological processes such as regeneration, angiogenesis and tumour formation.  

LIST OF UP TO FIVE RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS:

1- Tawk. M., Araya, C., Lyons, A. D., Reugels, M. R., Girdler. C. G, Bayley, R. P, Hyde, H. D., Tada, M. and Clarke, J. D. W. (2007). A mirror-symmetric cell division that orchestrates neuroepithelial morphogenesis. Nature 446, 779-800.

GROUP MEMBERS (NAME, POSITION, EMAIL):*

                1- Claudio Araya (group leader)

FISH FACILITIES (TYPE OF FISH SYSTEM/TANKS, CAPACITY, ETC.)*

Zebrafish housing system: A fully equipped zebrafish facility to maintain large numbers of adult animals. This facility (2x3 mts2 ) has independent light cycles, water supply and temperature control. We have a one-stand alone rack to culture up to 500 liters (lts) volume. This rack allows to easily keep between 10 tanks of 14 lts each to culture up to 150-200 adults zebrafish and 8 small tanks of 4.5 lts each to keep growing larvae. To provide optimal water conditions to zebrafish we have incorporated the use of (1) osmosis reverse system, (3) mechanical filters (50-20 and 5 microns cartridges), (1) activated carbon to absorb volatile organics materials and (1) UV lamp to ensure disinfection. The use of zebafish for animal experimentation is regulated by the standards of the Universidad Austral de Chile, through the Use of Experimental Animals Committee, which is overseen by the Research and Development Office of the University and SAG (Servicio Agrícola de Chile).

FISH LINES KEPT IN STOCK:*

Only wild-types (AB) from Miguel Allende’s lab (Chile).

OTHER EQUIPMENT RELATED TO ZEBRAFISH RESEARCH*

Laboratory equipments: incubation system, stereoscope, precision balance, pH meter, UV lamp, spectrophometer, vortex, refrigerator, microinjector, micromanipulator, gas (Nitrogen) for microinjection, electrophoresis chambers for agarose and acrylamide-bis acrylamide electrophoresis, tissue sections equipments, and pipettes.

a) Confocal Microscopy Unit: one OLYMPUS confocal microscope (FluoView FV 1000) completely equipped to peform live fluorescent imaging studies along with digital cameras connected to a computer and image-analysis software installed. b) Electron Microscopy Unit: To perform transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a Hitachi microscope (model H-700), while for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) a Leica microscope (model LEO 420).

LAB EXPERTISE AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES (RELATED TO ZEBRAFISH RESEARCH)*

General embryology

Molecular Biology

Long-experience in time-lapse imaging (confocal)

Antibody immunostaining

Speaking and writing skills in English

Permanent contact with UCL and KCL fish groups (London, UK).

Design of home made fish facility.

Contact with local stores  for fish supply (aquarium)

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:* In process of contact other fish groups (Chile and abroad).