CAREER: Pulling the Mouth Open: Coordinating orofacial tissue growth and epithelial integrity to form the embryonic mouth

职业：拉开嘴：协调口面部组织生长和上皮完整性以形成胚胎嘴

• 批准号: 1349668
• 负责人: Amanda Dickinson
• 金额: $ 70万
• 依托单位: Virginia Commonwealth University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-03-15 至 2021-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1349668&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Pulling; Mouth; Open; Coordinating

The mouth connects the digestive system with the external environment. Without this connection animals cannot eat. Remarkably, despite its obvious importance, there have been few studies that address how this initial connection is established. It is also not often considered in studies of orofacial evolution, development and birth defects, and is rarely mentioned in developmental or anatomical textbooks. In this project, a series of experiments will define how the first connection to the digestive system is formed, and how its development is intimately tied to the formation of surrounding facial structures. Specifically, the hypothesis is that growth and tension within the face pulls the mouth open. Molecular, cellular, embryological and biomechanical approaches in Xenopus will be combined to test this hypothesis. Based on preliminary data it is expected that novel connections between molecular signals, cellular junctions, such as desmosomes, and mitosis will be uncovered. This work is potentially high impact in that it is the first to study: 1) the role of tension in orofacial development and 2) the molecular mechanisms governing how the connection to the digestive system is established. Additionally, this work is integrated into an innovative educational plan. Graduate and undergraduate level laboratory courses will be created where students will perform experiments contributing to the project. In addition, undergraduate independent study and summer research projects are planned for VCU's minority programs. On the opposite end of the educational spectrum is a preschool component where children will be exposed to living frogs at various life stages combined with art, math and reading activities. Together, this work will provide students at several levels with the opportunity to contribute to a better understanding of vertebrate mouth development.

口腔连接消化系统与外部环境。 如果没有这种联系，动物就无法进食。 值得注意的是，尽管其重要性显而易见，但很少有研究探讨这种初始联系是如何建立的。在口面部进化、发育和出生缺陷的研究中也不经常考虑它，并且在发育或解剖学教科书中也很少提及。在这个项目中，一系列实验将定义与消化系统的第一个连接是如何形成的，以及它的发育如何与周围面部结构的形成密切相关。具体来说，假设是面部的生长和张力将嘴巴拉开。将结合非洲爪蟾的分子、细胞、胚胎学和生物力学方法来检验这一假设。根据初步数据，预计将揭示分子信号、细胞连接（例如桥粒）和有丝分裂之间的新联系。这项工作具有潜在的巨大影响力，因为它是第一个研究以下内容的工作：1）张力在口面部发育中的作用；2）控制如何建立与消化系统的连接的分子机制。此外，这项工作还被纳入一项创新的教育计划中。将创建研究生和本科生水平的实验室课程，学生将在其中进行为该项目做出贡献的实验。此外，弗吉尼亚联邦大学的少数民族项目还计划开展本科生独立学习和暑期研究项目。教育范围的另一端是学前教育部分，孩子们将接触不同生命阶段的活青蛙，并结合艺术、数学和阅读活动。总之，这项工作将为多个级别的学生提供机会，帮助他们更好地了解脊椎动物的口腔发育。