Developmental Co-dependence and Embryonic Programming of Cardiac and Renal Systems Function in Vertebrates - II

该项目有三个不同但相互关联的主题，每个建筑都通过综合的生理系统方法建立在下一个建筑之上。最初，该实验室将首次探索两个主要系统-心血管系统（CVS）和肾脏系统-的胚胎相互作用，以及它们的发育计划如何在脊椎动物胚胎发育过程中相互依赖。还需要研究CVS和肾脏系统之间正常调节相互作用的发育开始，包括确定对外部压力源最敏感的发育时期-所谓的“关键窗口”。第三，神秘的延迟表型改变领域-所谓的“胎儿编程”- CVS和肾脏将被探索。这些假设将通过对胚胎施加环境和/或药物压力来测试，然后评估胚胎和成年鸟的生理变化。实验也将开始确定潜在的细胞和分子机制，体现在结构和功能的修改。这项工作超越了大多数研究发育中脊椎动物结构/功能关系的典型“系统内”方法。事实上，它代表了第一个跨越——而不仅仅是内部——观察发育中的脊椎动物胚胎生理系统的实验项目之一。这项研究将极大地提高对胚胎CV和肾脏系统发育的理解，以及这些系统何时以及如何开始相互作用，在系统之间而不仅仅是系统内部的生理调节的个体发生方面取得重要进展。加强对脊椎动物胚胎生理学的了解，特别是对发育可塑性和胎儿编程等现象的了解，是最终制定人类胎儿甚至胚胎先天性缺陷纠正程序的重要先决条件。研究生和本科生将在北德克萨斯大学的发育生理学和遗传学项目中接受最先进的培训，并与墨西哥州自治大学的研究人员进行互动，为他们提供重要的文化和国际视野。

This project has three distinct but inter-related themes, each building on the next through an integrated physiological systems approach. Initially, the lab will explore, for the very first time, the embryonic interactions of two major systems - the cardiovascular system (CVS) and the renal system - and how their developmental plans are codependent upon each other as the vertebrate embryo develops. Also to be investigated is the developmental onset of the normal regulatory interactions between the CVS and renal system, including determination of developmental periods of greatest sensitivity to external stressors- the so-called "critical windows". Third, the enigmatic field of delayed phenotype alteration -so-called "fetal programming"- of the CVS and kidneys will be explored. The hypotheses will be tested by applying environmental and/or pharmaceutical stressors to the embryo and then assessing the physiological changes in the embryo and adult bird. The experiments will also begin to identify underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms that manifest in structural and functional modifications. This work transcends the typical "intrasystem" approach of most studies of structure/function relationships in developing vertebrates. Indeed, it represents one of the first experimental programs to look across - rather than just within - physiological systems in the developing vertebrate embryo. This study will greatly improve the understanding of the development of the embryonic CV and renal systems, and when and how these systems first begin their interactions, making important advances in the ontogeny of physiological regulation between, rather than just within, systems. An enhanced understanding of embryonic physiology in vertebrates - especially phenomena like developmental plasticity and particularly fetal programming - is a vital prerequisite for the eventual development of corrective procedures for congenital defects in human fetuses and even embryos. Graduate and undergraduate students will receive state-of-the-art training in the Developmental Physiology and Genetics program at the University of North Texas and interactions with researchers at the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico will provide them with important cultural and international perspectives.