Research Interests

Extracellular matrix and cell-cell interactions during development

We study the roles of the extracellular matrix during development, especially how tenascins and thrombospondins influence cell motility, proliferation and differentiation.

Grad Group Affiliations

• Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

Specialties / Focus

• Differentiation, Morphogenesis and Wound Healing

Courses

• CHA 400 Radiologic, Gross and Developmental Anatomy, Summer II and Fall
• BCB 213 Developmental Biology, Winter
• CHA 200 Graduate Human Anatomy, Winter

Labs

• 3441 Tupper Hall

Honors and Awards

• Gian Tondury Prize (Swiss Society for Anatomy, Histology and Embryology) 1989

Professional Societies

• American Society for Cell Biology
• Society for Developmental Biology
• American Association of Anatomists
• Histochemical Society

Degrees

• 1980 BA Zoology Miami University
• 1981 BPhil Interdisciplinary Study Miami University Western College
• 1986 PhD Zoology University of California, Davis

Publications

2015 Tucker, R.P. and R. Chiquet-Ehrismann. Tenascin-C: Its functions as an integrin ligand. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology 65:165-168.

2014 Adams, J.C., R. Chiquet-Ehrismann and R.P. Tucker. The evolution of tenascins and fibronectin. Cell Adhesion and Migration 9:1-12.

2014 Gong, Q., K. Garvey, C. Qian, I. Yin, G. Wong and R.P. Tucker. The integrins of the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. Biological Bulletin 227:211-220.

2014 Hendaoui, I., R.P. Tucker, D. Zingg, S. Bichet, J. Schittny and R. Chiquet-Ehrismann. Tenascin-C is required for normal Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the whisker follicle stem cell niche. Matrix Biology 40:46-53.

2014 Chiquet-Ehrismann, R., G. Orend, M. Chiquet, R.P. Tucker and K.S. Midwood. Tenascins in stem cell niches. Matrix Biology 37:112-123. 

2014 Tucker, R.P. and J.C. Adams. Adhesion networks of cnidarians: A post-genomic view. International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology 308:323-377.

2013 Tucker, R.P., J. Ferralli, J.C. Schittny and R. Chiquet-Ehrismann. Tenascin-C and tenascin-W in whisker follicle stem cell niches: possible roles in regulating stem cell proliferation and migration. Journal of Cell Science 126:5111-5115.

2013 Tucker, R.P., J.F. Hess, Q. Gong, K. Garvey, B. Shibata and J.C. Adams. A thrombospondin in the anthozoan Nematostella vectensis is associated with the nervous system and upregulated during regeneration. Biology Open 2:217-226.

2013 Tucker, R.P. Horizontal gene transfer in choanoflagellates. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution 320:1-9.

2012 Tucker, R.P., J. Beckmann, N.T. Leachman, J. Schöler and R. Chiquet-Ehrismann. Phylogenetic analysis of the teneurins: conserved features and premetazoan ancestry. Molecular Biology and Evolution 29:1019-1029.

2012 Brellier, F., E. Martina, M. Chiquet, J. Ferralli, M. van der Heyden, G. Orend, J.C. Schittny, R. Chiquet-Ehrismann and R.P. Tucker. The adhesion modulating properties of tenascin-W. International Journal of Biological Sciences 8:187-194.

2012 Chiquet-Ehrismann, R. and R.P. Tucker. Tenascins and the importance of adhesion modulation. In: Cold Spring Harbor Perspective in Biology: Extracellular Matrix Biology, R.O. Hynes and K. Yamada (eds.), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY. pp. 129-147.