RUI: The Vestibulo-Ocular System in Lungfish

前庭-眼反射（VOR）是一种在头部运动时稳定视网膜上视觉图像的行为。研究表明，软骨鱼具有不同于大多数脊椎动物的眼肌神经支配模式和VOR回路。与其他脊椎动物相比，肺鱼与四足动物的关系更密切，但人们认为它们的眼肌神经支配模式与软骨鱼相似。因此，假设肺鱼有一个像软骨鱼一样的VOR回路。要验证这一假设，就需要在肺鱼的代表中确定动眼核和VOR回路的组织。选择非洲肺鱼是基于其商业可行性。提出了两组实验。在第一组实验中，生物素化右旋胺（BDA）的逆行转运将用于揭示动眼核的组织。在第二组中，将BDA注射到动眼核中，以显示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。

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.