Imaging Research Core

毫无疑问，有必要开发和使用先进的显微镜技术，以 了解多糖的细胞功能。多聚糖参与许多细胞特性，包括细胞 结构、细胞-细胞识别、蛋白质运输和蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用。因此，多糖的变化 丰度或组成可能对细胞功能有相当大的影响，因此人类 健康。先进的成像技术正在成为综合理解的重要组成部分 多糖在健康和疾病中的作用。这些技术提供了对分子组成的洞察， 同时保持化学、结构和生理反应的空间背景 多聚糖。凝集素的特异性鉴定及其广泛荧光标记的研究进展 标记和生物素标记的凝集素迅速提高了我们识别位置和位置变化的能力 细胞和组织中特定的糖链丰富。此外，共焦中的几种强有力的方法 显微镜，包括FRET、FRAP和FliP，允许对内部分子动力学进行高度敏感的测量 活细胞。这些措施将帮助研究人员了解多糖对细胞的基本影响 功能。该提案的中心目标是将使用高级成像技术的能力 GlyCORE研究人员在他们的不同研究计划中，并帮助开发细胞中的新方法 糖链生物学。这些目标将通过三个目标实现：1)建立一个包含以下内容的成像核心 三种不同的成像平台，包括功能强大的新型共焦显微镜；2)支持GlyCORE 通过努力开发新的成像应用程序，研究人员在各自的项目中；以及3)开发 广泛的培训计划，培养成像和成像新方法的专业知识和意识 分析。这项提议将通过以下方式改变密西西比大学的糖科学研究 提供使用这些成像系统的先进仪器和专业知识及培训。

There is an unequivocal need to develop and employ advanced techniques in microscopy toward understanding the cellular functions of glycans. Glycans participate in many cellular properties, including cell structure, cell-cell recognition, protein trafficking, and protein-protein interaction. Hence, changes in glycan abundance or composition can have considerable effects on cellular function, and as a consequence human health. Advanced imaging techniques are becoming a vital part of an integrative approach to understanding the roles of glycans in health and disease. These techniques provide insights into molecular composition, while preserving the spatial context of the chemical, structural, and physiological responses to changes in glycans. Recent advances in identify lectin specificities and the availability of a broad range of fluorescently labeled and biotinylated lectins has rapidly advanced our ability to identify changes in the location and abundance of specific glycans in cells and tissues. Moreover, several powerful approaches in confocal microscopy, including FRET, FRAP, and FLIP, permit highly sensitive measures of molecular dynamics within living cells. These measures will help researchers understand the fundamental effect glycans have on cellular function. The central goal of this proposal is to bring the ability to employ advanced imaging techniques to the GlyCORE investigators in their diverse research programs and to help develop new approaches in the cell biology of glycans. These goals will be accomplished in three aims: 1) establish an imaging core that contains three different imaging platforms, including a powerful new confocal microscope; 2) support the GlyCORE investigators in their individual projects by working to develop new imaging applications; and 3) develop an extensive training program to develop expertise and awareness of new methods in imaging and image analysis. This proposal will transform research in the glycosciences at the University of Mississippi by providing access to advanced instrumentation and expertise and training in the use of these imaging systems.