RUI: The Vestibulo-Ocular System in Lungfish

RUI：肺鱼的前庭眼系统

• 批准号: 0131652
• 负责人: Richard Puzdrowski
• 金额: $ 7.27万
• 依托单位: University of Houston - Clear Lake
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-04-01 至 2005-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0131652&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Vestibulo; Ocular; System; Lungfish

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is a behavior that stabilizes visual images on the retina during head movements. It has been demonstrated that Cartilaginous fishes have an eye muscle innervation pattern and VOR circuitry that is different from most vertebrates. The lungfish are more closely related to tetrapods than to other vertebrates, but they are believed to have an eye muscle innervation pattern similar to that of Cartilaginous fishes. It is therefore hypothesized that lungfish have a VOR circuitry like that of Cartilaginous fishes. Testing this hypothesis requires that the organization of the oculomotor nuclei and VOR circuitry be determined in a representative of the lungfish. The African lungfish is chosen based on its commercial availability. Two sets of experiments are proposed. In the first set of experiments, retrograde transport of biotinylated dextrans amines (BDA) will be used to reveal the organization of the oculomotor nucleus. In the second set, injections of BDA into the oculomotor nucleus will be used to reveal the organization of the VOR connections. This research will contribute to our understanding of the evolution of eye movement control systems in the vertebrate brain. Additionally, the research project will provide experiences for undergraduates in basic neuroscience research.

前庭眼反射（vestibulo-ocular reflex，VOR）是一种在头部运动过程中稳定视网膜上视觉图像的行为。软骨鱼类的眼肌神经支配模式和VOR回路与大多数脊椎动物不同。与其他脊椎动物相比，肺鱼与四足动物的关系更为密切，但它们被认为具有与软骨鱼类相似的眼肌神经支配模式。因此，假设肺鱼有一个VOR电路一样，软骨鱼类。 检验这一假设需要在肺鱼的代表中确定眼神经核和VOR电路的组织。选择非洲肺鱼是基于其商业可用性。提出了两组实验。在第一组实验中，生物素化葡聚糖胺（BDA）的逆行转运将用于揭示眼神经核的组织。在第二组中，将BDA注射到眼神经核中，以揭示VOR连接的组织。这项研究将有助于我们了解脊椎动物大脑中眼动控制系统的进化。此外，该研究项目将为本科生提供基础神经科学研究的经验。