This project studies a segment of the Hedgehog pathway, a signaling pathway in vertebrates that regulates tissue patterning and development, and has been found to be closely linked with many varieties of cancer. Ptch is an important receptor protein within Hedgehog that activates the pathway in cells. By creating mutagenic Ptch (mutated versions of the protein) and running them through various assays, the goal is to ascertain what role cholesterol binding to Ptch has in the Hedgehog pathway, and which sequences in Ptch are important for successful cholesterol binding.