Neurotransmitter Specification and Regulation in Caenorhabditis Elegans

秀丽隐杆线虫的神经递质规范和调节

• 批准号: 9808861
• 负责人: Christine Li
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Trustees of Boston University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-09-01 至 2002-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9808861&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Neurotransmitter; Specification; Regulation; Caenorhabditis; Elegans

IBN 98-08861 LI (Christine). Different components of the nervous system communicate with each other through the use of chemical messengers. These chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, are strictly regulated within the body. Imbalances in the levels of neurotransmitters can have severe effects on the behavior of an animal. For instance, decreased levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine is the basis of the behavioral deficits seen in patients with Parkinson's Disease. The laboratory of Dr. Christine Li has been examining the regulation of neurotransmitters in a simple model system, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans offers many experimental advantages, such as ease of genetic manipulations and generation of transgenic animals. Dr. Li has been examining a specific family of neurotransmitters, the "FLP neuropeptides", in C. elegans. There are over 50 similar, but distinct members of the FLP family in C. elegans. The goal of her lab is to elucidate the function of these different transmitters and to determine how these chemicals signal to other parts of the nervous system. Thus far, it appears that despite the structural similarities between different FLP transmitters, they have different roles in C. elegans, and are present in different parts of the nervous system. This research may give insights into the function of homologous transmitters in mammals, such as humans, and reveal how these chemicals are used for communication among different parts of the mammalian nervous system.

IBN 98-08861 LI（克莉丝汀）。 神经系统的不同组成部分通过化学信使相互交流。 这些化学物质被称为神经递质，在体内受到严格的调节。 神经递质水平的不平衡会对动物的行为产生严重影响。 例如，神经递质多巴胺水平下降是帕金森病患者行为缺陷的基础。 克莉丝汀李博士的实验室一直在研究一个简单的模型系统--线虫--中神经递质的调节。 C.秀丽隐杆线虫具有许多实验优势，例如易于进行基因操作和产生转基因动物。李博士一直在研究一个特殊的神经递质家族，即“FLP神经肽”，在C。优美的 在C.优雅的 她的实验室的目标是阐明这些不同递质的功能，并确定这些化学物质如何向神经系统的其他部分发出信号。 到目前为止，尽管不同的FLP递质之间存在结构相似性，但它们在C.线虫，并且存在于神经系统的不同部分。 这项研究可能会深入了解哺乳动物（如人类）中同源递质的功能，并揭示这些化学物质如何用于哺乳动物神经系统不同部分之间的通信。