CENTRAL CONTROL OF MOTONEURONS IN A VERTEBRATE

运动是由神经元群体的活动产生的，但很少 已知神经元群体中的招募模式和 它们与行为的关系。这项提案概述了关于如何 一种简单脊椎动物行为的不同形式-- 斑马鱼-由后脑网状脊髓池中的活动产生 神经元和脊髓中间神经元。这项工作使用了强大的新成像技术 利用斑马鱼幼体透明度的技术 并允许对完好无损的动物的细胞活动进行成像 作为光消融细胞来研究由此产生的行为变化。 其目的是：1)使用照相标记法来检验假设 HindBrain包含连续重复的功能相关集合 作为一个群体来产生逃逸转折的网状脊髓神经元 不同大小；2)利用光烧蚀提供第一个 一类脊髓中间神经元AT功能作用的直接测试 在行为中；3)使用钙成像来研究脊柱是如何 群体中的中间神经元在运动(逃逸)过程中被招募 不同强度和；4)使用消融，结合成像 活性，研究网状脊髓活性和 脊髓中间神经元重新募集。这项工作具有普遍重要性。 因为大脑运动的许多下行指令都是 穿过网状脊髓系统和脊髓中间神经元，但 我们对这些神经元的活动模式知之甚少。 人口及其对行为的贡献。建议的每一项 AIMS不仅提供了更好地 对于一种行为的理解，它们还解决了 在脊椎动物中广泛应用的运动控制。 这些包括后脑分割的功能意义， 脊髓中间神经元的行为作用、中间神经元的模式 募集，以及网状脊髓神经元之间的联系，运动前 中间神经元和行为。这项工作是基础研究，涉及 汽车组织的负责人。校长的设立 通过它产生正常运动提供了基础 了解在不同的环境中发生的运动中断 疾病。这项工作具有额外的意义，因为 斑马鱼在发展中作为模式系统的重要性日益增加 和遗传学。发展的最终结合的力量， 遗传学、功能成像和行为研究使进一步的 这一模型系统的开发尤为重要。

Movements are produced by activity in populations of neurons, but little is known about the patterns of recruitment in neuronal populations and their relationships to behavior. This proposal outlines studies of how different forms of a simple vertebrate behavior-the escape behavior in zebrafish-are produced by activity in pools of hindbrain reticulospinal neurons and spinal interneurons. The work uses powerful new imaging techniques that take advantage of the transparency of larval zebrafish and allow the imaging of activity in cells in the intact animal, as well as the photoablation of cells to study the resulting behavior changes. The aims are: 1) to use photoabalations to test the hypothesis that the hindbrain contains serially repeated sets of functionally related reticulospinal neurons that act as a population to produce escape turns of different magnitudes; 2) To use photoablations to provide the first direct test of the functional role of at a class of spinal interneuron in a behavior; 3) To use calcium imaging to study how the spinal interneurons in a population are recruited during movements (escapes) of different strength and; 4) To use ablations, combined with imaging of activity, to study the links between reticulospinal activity and spinal interneuron recruitment. The work is of general importance because many of the descending commands for movement from the brain are channeled through the reticulospinal system and spinal interneurons, but we know little about the patterns of activity in these neuronal populations and their contributions to behavior. Each of the proposed aims not only provides a piece of the information needed for better understanding of one behavior, they also address fundamental issues in the control of movement that will apply broadly among vertebrates. These include the functional significance of hindbrain segmentation, the behavioral role of spinal interneurons, patterns of interneuron recruitment, and the links between reticulospinal neurons, premotor interneurons and behavior. The work is basic research dealing with principals of motor organization. The establishment of the principals by which normal movements are produced provides the foundation for understanding the disruptions of movement that occur in various diseases. The work is of additional significance because of the increasing importance of zebrafish as at a model system in development and genetics. The power of the eventual combination of development, genetics, functional imaging and behavioral studies make the further development of this model system especially important.