About Us
Research groups
Friends
Back to research groups
The Robin group studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to the production and expansion of hematopoietic stem cells during embryonic development.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are self-renewing multipotent cells that produce all blood cell types during the entire life of an individual. Hence, they are the only cell type that can be used to replenish the bone marrow in patients with blood-related disorders. One major challenge in the field of stem cell research is to generate large quantities of these very rare cells in vitro for research and clinical use. This is extremely difficult at present because all steps leading to HSC generation in vivo, and the precise role of the supportive surrounding microenvironment, are far from been elucidated yet. The overall research goal of the lab is to elucidate the cellular and molecular events leading to HSC production and expansion during embryonic development. We notably focus on understanding the origin of HSCs during embryonic development, the mechanisms implicated in HSC generation and expansion, the composition and function of the different HSC niches during ontogeny, and the cellular and molecular signature of HSCs and precursors.
All HSCs are generated during embryonic development from specialized endothelial cells endowed with a hemogenic potential. We and others have shown that hemogenic endothelial cells are present in the aorta where they generate numerous Intra-Aortic Hematopoietic Clusters (IAHCs) that contain very few HSCs. Therefore, the identity of most IAHC cells is unknown. We are interested in identifying all cell types present in IAHCs, and elucidating the successive steps leading to IAHC and HSC formation, at the cellular and molecular levels.
Our research aims to uncover the essential factors that regulate embryonic HSC production. At mouse embryonic day (E)10.5, HSCs are part of intra-aortic hematopoietic clusters (IAHCs) that are tightly attached to the aortic endothelium. We recently established a novel experimental imaging set-up to show the dynamic formation of HSCs directly in the aorta of the mouse embryo. During the endothelial into hematopoietic transition (EHT), we observed intense cellular movements and surface membrane modifications, highlighting important roles for cell adhesion molecules and microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton rearrangement. We aim to understand the basic biomechanics of embryonic HSC formation with a focus on MT regulatory proteins. These proteins are especially involved in cell polarity regulation, (asymmetric) cell division, adhesion, and migration. New transgenic mouse lines will also be generated to study IAHC formation in the mouse embryo.
HSC emergence mainly occurs in the ventral aspect of the embryo aorta (zebrafish, chicken, mouse and human) and is tightly controlled in time and space by regulatory signals emitted by the surrounding microenvironment. The precise, specific and well-defined localization of HSC emergence in the aorta of the aforementioned species make all these models powerful tools to trigger the molecular signals coming from the surrounding tissues and restricting hematopoietic activity to specific areas. Using state-of-the-art technology, we aim to decipher genes that are (differentially) expressed in specific regions of the aorta during HSC generation. The comparison of all species will also to unravel conserved molecular pathways involved in the regulation of the first HSC generated during embryonic development.
The anatomical site of mammalian HSC origin remains controversial in mammals because the blood is already circulating at the time of HSC detection (leading to the possibility of cell exchange between tissues). To solve this fundamental question, we are currently developing novel and challenging in vivo embryo rescue assay.
Klaus A, Clapes T [...] Galjart N, Robin C.
Download|2022
Weijts B, Shaked I, [...] Robin C and Traver D
Download|2021
Yvernogeau L, Klaus A, [...] Junker JP and Robin C
Download|2020
Yvernogeau L, Gautier R […] Robin C, Jaffredo T
Download|2019
Baron CS, [...] van Oudenaarden A, Robin C.
Download|2018
Boisset JC, van Cappellen W, Andrieu-Soler C, Galjart N, Dzierzak E, Robin C.
Download|2010
Weijts B and Robin C.
Download|2024 August
Jaffredo T, Balduini A, [...] Yvernogeau L, Schuringa JJ.
Download|2021 Nov 30
Weijts B, Yvernogeau L, Robin C
Esteves de Lima J, Blavet C [...] Relaix F, Duprez D.
Download|20210622
Yvernogeau L, Nagy N, Dunon D, Robin C, Jaffredo T.
2021
Braham MVJ, [...] Robin C, Alblas J
Download|20190403
Ferrero G, [...] Bertrand JY, Wittamer V.
Download|20180703
van den Brink, S.C., Sage, F., Vértesy, Á., Spanjaard, B., Peterson-Maduro, J., Baron, C.S., Robin, C. , van Oudenaarden, A.
Download|20170501
Yvernogeau, L., Robin, C.
Klaus, A., Robin, C.
Yvernogeau L, Robin C.
Download|20170201
Thambyrajah, R., Mazan, M., Patel, R., Moignard, V., Stefanska, M., Marinopoulou, E., Li, Y., Lancrin, C., Clapes, T., Möröy, T., Robin, C., Miller, C., Cowley, S., Göttgens, B., Kouskoff, V., Lacaud, G.
Download|20160501
Robin C.
Heinig, K., Sage, F., Robin, C., Sperandio, M.
Download|20150501
Yvernogeau, L., Boisset J.C., Robin, C.
20150501
Boisset, J.C., Clapes, T., Klaus, A., Papazian, N., Onderwater, J., Mommaas-Kienhuis, M., Cupedo, T., Robin, C.
Boisset JC, Clapes T, Klaus A, Papazian N, Onderwater J, Mommaas-Kienhuis M, Cupedo T, Robin C.
Download|20150201
Boisset, J.C., Clapes, T., Van Der Linden, R., Dzierzak, E., Robin, C.
Download|20130501
Bergink, S., Theil, A.F., Toussaint, W., De Cuyper, I.M., Kulu, D.I., Clapes, T., van der Linden, R., Demmers, J.A., Mul, E.P., van Alphen, F.P., Marteijn, J.A., van Gent, T., Maas, A., Robin, C., Philipsen, S., Vermeulen, W., Mitchell, J.R., Gutiérrez, L.
Download|20130502
Drabek, K., Gutiérrez, L., Vermeij, M., Clapes, T., Patel, SR., Boisset, JC., van Haren, J., Pereira, AL., Liu, Z., Akinci, U., Nikolic, T., van Ijcken, W., van den Hout, M., Meinders, M., Melo, C., Sambade, C., Drabek, D., Hendriks, RW., Philipsen, S., Mommaas, M., Grosveld, F., Maiato, H., Italiano, JE. Jr., Robin, C., Galjart, N.
Download|20120501
Clapes, T. and Robin, C.
20120501
Drabek K, Gutiérrez L, Vermeij M, Clapes T, Patel SR, Boisset JC, van Haren J, Pereira AL, Liu Z, Akinci U, Nikolic T, van Ijcken W, van den Hout M, Meinders M, Melo C, Sambade C, Drabek D, Hendriks RW, Philipsen S, Mommaas M, Grosveld F, Maiato H, Italiano JE Jr, Robin C, Galjart N.
Download|20120201
Robin, C.*, Ottersbach, K.*, Boisset, J.C., Oziemlak, A., Dzierzak, E.
Download|20110502
Boisset, J.C., Andrieu-Soler, C., van Cappellen, W., Clapes, T., Robin, C.
Download|20110501
Boisset, J.C., and Robin, C.
20110501
Dzierzak, E., and Robin, C.
Staal, F.J., Baum, C., Cowan, C., Dzierzak, E., Hacein-Bey-Abina, S., Karlsson, S., Lapidot, T., Lemischka, I., Mendez-Ferrer, S., Mikkers, H., Moore, K., Moreno, E., Mummery, C.L., Robin, C., Suda, T., Van Pel, M., Vanden Brink, G., Zwaginga, J.J., Fibbe W.E.
Boisset JC, Andrieu-Soler C, van Cappellen W, Clapes T, Robin C.
Download|20110203
Boisset, J.C., van Cappellen, W., Andrieu-Soler, C., Galjart, N., Dzierzak, E., Robin, C.
Download|20100501
Robin, C. and Durand, C.
Robin, C., and Dzierzak, E.
20100501
Robin, C.*, Bollerot, K.*, Mendes, S.*, Haak, E., Crisan, M., Cerisoli, F., Lauw, I., Kaimakis, P., Jorna, R., Vermeulen, M., Kayser, M., van der Linden, R., Imanirad, P., Verstegen, M., Nawaz-Yousaf, H., Papazian, N., Steegers, E., Cupedo, T., Dzierzak, E.
Download|20090501
Robin C, Bollerot K, Mendes S, Haak E, Crisan M, Cerisoli F, Lauw I, Kaimakis P, Jorna R, Vermeulen M, Kayser M, van der Linden R, Imanirad P, Verstegen M, Nawaz-Yousaf H, Papazian N, Steegers E, Cupedo T, Dzierzak E.
Download|20090201
Durand, C., Robin, C., Bollérot, K., Baron, M., Ottersbach, K., Dzierzak, E.
20080501
Durand, C.*, Robin, C.*, Bollerot, K., Baron, M.H., Ottersbach, K., Dzierzak, E.
Download|20070501
Durand, C., Robin, C., Dzierzak, E.
Download|20060501
Robin, C., Ottersbach, K., Durand, C., Peeters, M., Vanes, L., Tybulewicz, V., Dzierzak, E.
Robin C, Ottersbach K, Durand C, Peeters M, Vanes L, Tybulewicz V, Dzierzak E.
Download|20060201
Mendes, S.C., Robin, C., Dzierzak, E.
Download|20050501
Oostendorp, R.A., Robin, C., Steinhoff, C., Marz, S., Brauer, R., Nuber, U.A., Dzierzak, E.A., Peschel, C.
Peeters, M., Ling, K.W., Oziemlak, A., Robin, C., Dzierzak, E.
20050501
Robin, C., Ottersbach, K., de Bruijn, M., Ma, X., van der Horn, K., Dzierzak, E.
20030501
Ma, X., de Bruijn, M., Robin, C., Peeters, M., Kong, A.S.J., de Wit, T., Snoijs, C., Dzierzak, E.
Download|20020501
Ma, X., Robin, C., Ottersbach, K., Dzierzak, E.
Ravet, E., Dubart-Kupperschmitt, A., Robin, C., Titeux, M., Coulombel, L., Pflumio, F.
20020501
North, T.E., de Bruijn, M.F., Stacy, T., Talebian, L., Lind, E., Robin, C., Binder, M., Dzierzak, E., Speck, N.A.
de Bruijn, M.F.*, Ma, X.*, Robin, C.*, Ottersbach, K., Sanchez, M.J., Dzierzak, E.
de Bruijn MF*, Ma X*, Robin C*, Ottersbach K, Sanchez MJ, Dzierzak E.
Download|20020201
Debili, N., Robin, C., Schiavon, V., Letestu, R., Pflumio, F., Mitjavila-Garcia, M.T., Coulombel, L., Vainchenker, W.
Download|20010501
Tavian, M., Robin, C., Coulombel, L., Peault, B.
Tavian, M., Cortes, F., Robin, C., Schiavon, V., Hallais, M.F., Coulombel, L., Charbord, P., Labastie, M.C., Peault, B.
Download|20000501
Robin, C., Bennaceur-Griscelli, A., Louache, F., Vainchenker, W., Coulombel, L.
Download|19990501
Robin, C., Pflumio, F., Vainchenker, W., Coulombel, L.
Pflumio, F., Tourino, C., Robin, C., Coulombel, L., Rouches, A., Ardouin, P.
19990501
Robin C, Pflumio F, Vainchenker W, Coulombel L.
Download|19990201
Carayol, G., Robin, C., Bourhis, J.H., Bennaceur-Griscelli, A., Chouaib, S., Coulombel, L., Caignard, A.
19980501
Catherine Robin is group leader at the Hubrecht Institute and is also appointed at the University Medical Center Utrecht. Her group focuses on the establishment of the hematopoietic system during embryonic development. They are particularly interested in better understanding how the first hematopoietic stem cells, the very rare cells at the foundation of the entire adult blood system, are generated and regulated during embryonic development. To answer these fundamental questions, the Robin group uses state-of-the-art technology and methods, including time-lapse live confocal imaging, in vivo transplantation and single-cell RNA sequencing.
Scientific training and positions
Read less
Current other activities
Linkedin
ResearchGate
Contact
Group Leader
Postdoc
PhD Student
Show all group members
The programme features 3 parallel sessions on the topics of 1) Stem cells & Development, 2) Genomics & Disease, and 3) Neurobiology, and a joint session on Emerging technologies. EMBL Partnership Conference
https://www.embl.de/training/events/2018/EHT18-01/ Speakers and organisers: https://www.embl.de/training/events/2018/EHT18-01/speakers_organisers_gallery/index.html
More information: http://www.embl.de/training/events/2016/EHT16-01/registration/index.html
