Differentiation of the Interstitial Cell Line in Hydrozoan Planulae

马丁博士将研究海洋水生动物Halocordyl disticha在胚胎发育过程中未分化细胞和间质细胞的发育和分化。扁平水母包含一群间质细胞，它们要么分裂以维持I细胞群，要么分化成神经节神经细胞或线状细胞。用秋水仙碱或羟基脲处理的胚胎分别没有或减少了I细胞的数量。将分析幼虫组织中I细胞行为的五个主要方面：1)幼虫干细胞在扁平上皮细胞中的再繁殖动态；2)I细胞及其衍生物参与变态；3)幼虫I细胞是否随时间表现出发育潜力的限制；4)抗羟基脲间质细胞幼虫群体的干细胞特性和发育潜力的检查；5)幼虫I细胞与成虫I细胞数量的比较。将不同处理或老化的对照胚胎移植到扁平上皮细胞上，并在移植后不同时间取出进行分析。这项研究探讨的一般问题是，在胚胎发育过程中，分化细胞的空间模式是如何建立的，以及这种组织是如何在成年状态下进行和维持的。马丁博士正在以海洋水生动物为模型，研究可操纵的干细胞群体的细胞定位、增殖和分化。

Dr. Martin will examine the development and differentiation of undifferentiated cells, interstitial cells, during embryogenesis in a marine hydrozoan, Halocordyl disticha. Hydrozoan planulae contain a population of interstitial cells which either divide to maintain the I- cell population or differentiate into ganglionic nerve cells or nematocytes. Embryos treated with colchicine or hydroxyurea have either no or reduced numbers of I cells respectively. Five major aspects of I- cell behaviour in larval tissues will be analyzed: 1) the dynamics of larval stem cell repopulation in epithelial planulae; 2) the involvement of I-cells and their derivatives in metamorphosis; 3) a determination if larval I-cells exhibit restrictions in their developmental potential with time; 4) an examination of the stem cell properties and developmental potential of a larval population of hydroxyurea resistant interstitial cells; and 5) a comparison of the larval I-cell population to the adult I-cell population. Pieces of different treated or aged control embryos will be grafted to epithelial planulae and removed at various times after grafting for analysis. The general problem approached by this research is how the spatial pattern of differentiated cells is established during embryogenesis and how such an organization is carried over and maintained in the adult state. Dr. Martin is studying cellular commitment, proliferation and differentiation of a manipulatable population of stem cells in a marine hydrozoan as a model.