Transgenic Models of Neuroendocrine Cell Differentiation

将采用遗传学方法研究细胞 胚胎垂体中的特异性。 转基因小鼠 其中胸苷激酶基因的表达 将被定向到促黑素细胞和促皮质细胞， 前阿黑皮素基因的启动子。 细胞表达 转基因将被切除， 消融对其他垂体细胞类型的分化， 用前阿黑皮素细胞重新增殖垂体， 下丘脑-垂体轴的重新分化将是 测定 这些研究提供了一种创新的、非侵入性的 理解细胞间相互作用的方法 在神经发育和规范方面。

A genetic approach will be taken to investigate cell specification in the embryonic pituitary. A transgenic mouse will be made in which expression of the thymidine kinase gene will be directed to melanotropes and corticotropes using the promoter of the pro-opiomelanocortin gene. Cells that express the transgene will be ablated and the consequences of this ablation on the differentiation of other pituitary cell types, repopulation of the pituitary with pro-opiomelanocortin cells and re-differentiation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis will be determined. These studies offer an innovative, non-invasive approach toward understanding the role of cell-cell interactions in neural development and specification.