POWRE: Structure and Function of an Apoptosis Domain in the 75 kDa Neurotropin Receptor

在发育过程中，不同的组织和器官需要不同数量的细胞。细胞程序性死亡（或“凋亡”）和细胞分裂是控制细胞数量的主要方式。细胞凋亡是一系列细胞和生物化学事件，在这些事件中，细胞不再分裂，而是渐次闭合、解体和被吞没。每个正常细胞似乎都有细胞死亡的“程序”，它可以通过多种方式激活。神经营养因子受体gp75NTR或NTR，由神经元和一些免疫细胞表达，是细胞因子和生长因子受体家族的成员，已知可调节许多细胞决定进行程序性细胞死亡。NTR包含一个细胞内结构域，类似于其他可启动凋亡的受体的“死亡结构域”，但尚未证明NTR的假定死亡结构域在凋亡信号传导中起作用。查普曼博士的研究目的是确定NTR的死亡结构域是否与凋亡机制的元件（半胱天冬酶）相互作用，并证明该受体在培养的哺乳动物细胞中异位表达时是否可以诱导程序性细胞死亡。这个项目特别适合power奖。查普曼博士最近做出了一个不同寻常的转变，从生物技术行业转到加州州立大学系统的新圣马科斯分校担任教职。CSUSM强调现代技术的动手实验室经验，为他们的学生在生物科学领域的研究人员，科学教师和生物技术行业做好准备。查普曼博士为她的学生带来了真实世界的经验，并将能够积极地参与到这个power奖的研究中，这将为她启动这个研究项目提供资金。

9805771 CHAPMAN During development, different tissues and organs require different numbers of cells. Programmed cell death (or "apoptosis"), along with cell division, is a primary way that cell number is controlled. Apoptosis occurs as a series of cellular and biochemical events in which the cell, instead of dividing, involutes, falls apart, and is engulfed. Every normal cell appears to have the "program" for cell death, which can be activated in a number of ways. The neurotrophin receptor gp75NTR or NTR, expressed by neurons and some immune cells, is a member of a family of cytokine and growth factor receptors known to regulate many cellular decisions to undergo programmed cell death. The NTR contains an intracellular domain that is similar to the "death domain" of other receptors that can initiate apoptosis, but it has not yet been shown that the NTR's putative death domain functions in apoptotic signaling. The objective of Dr. Chapman's study are to establish whether the NTR's death domain interacts with elements of the apoptotic mechanism (caspases), and to demonstrate whether this receptor can induce programmed cell death when expressed ectopically in cultured mammalian cells. This project is particular suitable for a POWRE award. Dr. Chapman recently made the unusual transition from the biotechnology industry to take a faculty job at the new San Marcos campus of the California State University system. CSUSM emphasized hands-on laboratory experience with modern technology to prepare their students in the biological sciences for careers as researchers, science teachers and in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Chapman brings real world experience to her students, and will be able to actively engage them in research with this POWRE award, which will provide the funding for her to initiate this research project.