Japan Long-Term Visit: Detection and Properties of Transbilayer Ca 2+ -Induced Phase

该奖项将使康奈尔大学的Gerald W.Feigenson教授能够与日本横滨庆应义塾大学的Kazuhiko Kinoshita教授进行为期一年的合作。他们将继续研究双离化钙对膜性能的影响，特别是双离化钙在融合前连接生物膜中的作用。实验将在海胆卵上进行，这种卵很容易获得，很容易被刺激来产生要研究的过程。微光荧光显微镜将被用来测量钙离子诱导的膜接触区凝胶相的形成和破裂的时间依赖性。这项研究的目的是阐明钙离子在细胞运动、细胞分裂、代谢和其他细胞相互作用过程中的作用。虽然细胞质内钙离子浓度的变化可以极大地影响这些现象，但其作用机制尚不清楚。这项工作对理解有机化学反应动力学具有重要意义。木下博士的专业知识和他可以支配的设备将是费根森博士提议的合作的资产。

This award will enable Prof. Gerald W. Feigenson of Cornell University to collaborate with Prof. Kazuhiko Kinoshita at Keio University in Yokohama, Japan for a period of one year. They will continue investigations of membrane properties that are influenced by doubly- ionized calcium, and in particular the role of doubly ionized calcium in bridging biomembranes prior to fusion. Experiments will be performed on sea urchin eggs, which are readily available and easily stimulated to produce the processes to be studied. Low-light fluorescence microscopy will be used to measure the time dependence of the formation and breakdown of the calcium-ion-induced gel phase at membrane contact regions. The purpose of this research is to clarify the role of the calcium ion in cell movement, cell division, metabolism, and other cell- interaction processes. While it is known that changes in cytoplasmic calcium ion concentration can greatly affect these phenomena, the mechanisms of the effects are unknown. This work has major impli- cations for the understanding of organic chemical reaction dynamics. Dr. Kinoshita's expertise and the equipment at his disposal will be assets to Dr. Feigensn's proposed collaboration.