Expression and function of ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteases) in central nervous system during embryonic development

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ADAMs are type I transmembrane proteins that are responsible for cell-cell, cellmatrix interactions and ectodomain shedding. The roles and the mechanisms of ADAMs in developing central nervous system (CNS) in vivo are still not defined completely. The chicken embryo provides an excellent model system to study gene functions in vivo during embryonic development. Therefore, in this project, the roles and the mechanisms of ADAMs in developmental morphogenesis of CNS will be studied by electroporation using the chicken embryo as a model. We focus on the roles of ADAMs in regulating neurogenesis, neuronal migration and axon growth during chicken embryonic development. Furthermore, the regulation of cadherins, which play an very important role in developing nervous system, by ADAMs will be also investigated during embryonic development. This project will extend our understanding in the morphogenesis of CNS during embryonic development.