Endothelin Signaling in the Lamprey Head and the Evolution of the Jaw

有颌脊椎动物是由5亿年前的无颌鱼类进化而来的。 这个项目的目的是阐明发展和遗传基础的这一重大的进化过渡使用无颌鱼七鳃鳗作为模型的第一无颌脊椎动物。 为了做到这一点，七鳃鳗胚胎将被注射试剂，以阻止或增强参与头部骨骼发育的几个基因的功能。 这些操作旨在部分重现进化过程，并将揭示这些基因的功能或部署的变化是否推动了颌骨的进化。除了揭示一个重大的进化事件外，该项目还将深入了解包括人类在内的所有脊椎动物的头部骨骼和颌骨是如何发育的。这将有助于正在进行的努力，以了解影响面部，头骨和下巴的疾病的发育和遗传基础。该项目还将为实验室技术人员、研究生和本科生提供培训和支持，并为高中志愿者提供参与基础生物研究的机会。

Jawed vertebrates evolved from jawless fish a half billion years ago. This project aims to elucidate the developmental and genetic bases of this major evolutionary transition using the jawless fish lamprey as a model for the first jawless vertebrates. To do this, lamprey embryos will be injected with reagents to block or enhance the function of several genes involved in head skeleton development. These manipulations are aimed at partially recapitulating the evolutionary process and will reveal if changes in the function or deployment of these genes drove the evolution of the jaw. In addition to shedding light on a major evolutionary event, the project will also provide insight into how the head skeleton and jaw develops in all vertebrates, including humans. This will contribute to ongoing efforts to understand the developmental and genetic basis of diseases affecting the face, skull, and jaw. The project will also provide training and support for a laboratory technician, graduate student, and undergraduate students, as well as an opportunity for high school volunteers to participate in basic biological research.