Neuronal Differentiation in the PNS vs. CNS: Role of Nel

为了神经系统的功能，神经元必须建立“正确”的身份，也就是说，它们必须表达一组适当的基因，以便与它们的目标建立有效的突触连接。神经系统分为两部分：大脑和脊髓中的神经元组成中枢神经系统（CNS），而位于中枢神经系统之外的神经元组成周围神经系统（PNS）。PNS的神经元包括所有被身体上的触摸、压力、疼痛和温度刺激激活的感觉神经元。它们必须将自己的信息传递到中枢神经系统，以便机体对特定的刺激做出适当的反应：例如，当一个人触摸到热的表面时，他会把手指抽开。为了使生物体对环境做出有效的反应，这个回路中的每个神经元都必须正确运作，也就是说，每个神经元都必须建立起自己指定的身份。因此，目标是确定不同的神经元细胞类型必须表达的一组基因，以使特定的神经元建立其正确的身份。考虑到中枢神经系统和PNS中存在的神经元亚型，我们对驱动这些不同细胞分化模式的完整基因集的理解是稀疏的。我们的建议有两个目的：一是确定一个基因NEL在PNS组织和CNS组织中的功能，以便比较这两个不同神经系统区域的神经元发育；二是对CNS和PNS内神经发生和分化过程中表达的基因进行全局比较。从这些实验中获得的数据将大大提高我们对驱动神经系统内神经元多样性建立的分子和细胞机制的理解。

For the nervous system to function, neurons must establish their "correct" identities, meaning, they must express an appropriate set of genes in order to establish effective synaptic connections with their target(s). The nervous system is divided up into two parts: neurons in the brain and spinal cord comprise the central nervous system (CNS) while neurons that reside outside of the CNS comprise the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The neurons of the PNS include all the sensory neurons that are activated by touch, pressure, pain and temperature stimulations on the body. They must transmit their information into the CNS in order for the organism to make an appropriate response to the particular stimulus: e.g. when one touches a hot surface, one pulls one 's finger away. In order for an organism to respond effectively to one's environment, each neuron in this circuit must function correctly meaning, each neuron must have established their designated identity. Thus the goal is to identify the sets of genes that distinct neuronal cell types must express in order for that particular neuron to establish its correct identity. Considering the panoply of neuronal subtypes that exist within the CNS and PNS, our understanding of the complete sets of genes that drive these distinct patterns of cellular differentiation is sparse. The goal of our proposal is twofold: one, to determine the function of one gene, NEL in both a PNS tissue and a CNS tissue, in order to compare the development of neurons in these two distinct regions of the nervous system, and two, to conduct a global comparison of genes expressed during the process of neurogenesis and differentiation within the CNS and PNS. The data yielded from these experiments will significantly enhance our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive the establishment of the diverse spectrum of neurons within the nervous system.