Regulation of Sympathetic Ganglion Development in Vitro

Greif博士将以大鼠颈上神经节（SCG）为模型系统，研究有助于调节交感神经系统发育的因素。首席研究员将在细胞培养系统中培养scg，以便详细分析跨突触连接的细胞之间的相互作用如何改变神经元的生化发育。格雷夫博士将研究当细胞电去极化或细胞在目标组织存在的情况下生长时，与突触囊泡（包裹神经递质）相关的两种蛋白质的水平是如何变化的。一旦确定了反应模式，她将研究这些因素如何向细胞发出信号，改变其蛋白质的产生。她将专注于研究细胞中被称为“第二信使”的化学信号，这种信号在调节许多细胞功能方面很重要。治疗scg的药剂会直接改变第二信使的水平。然后，格雷夫博士将研究这种治疗方法在多大程度上模拟电去极化或其他因素的影响。这些研究将帮助我们了解细胞间相互作用如何指导神经系统的正常发育，并可能为神经发育障碍的因素提供重要的见解。

Dr. Greif will investigate factors which help regulate the development of the sympathetic nervous system, using the rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) as a model system. The principal investigator will grow SCGs in a cell culture system, permitting a detailed analysis of how interactions between cells across synaptic junctions can alter the biochemical development of neurons. Dr. Greif will study how the levels of two proteins associated with synaptic vesicles, which package neurotransmitters, are changed when cells are depolarized electrically or when cells are grown in the presence of target tissue. Once the patterns of response are determined, she will examine how such factors can signal a cell to alter its production of a protein. She will focus on chemical signals found in cells known as "second messengers", which are important in regulating many cellular functions. SCGs will be treated with agents which directly change the level of second messengers. Dr. Greif will then study how well such treatments can mimic the effects of electrical depolarization or other factors. These studies will help us understand how cell-cell interactions can direct the normal development of the nervous system, and may provide important insights into factors responsible for disorders of neural development.