Retinoic acid in motor neuron specification

Eduardo Rosa-Molinar博士、波多黎各大学（UPR-RP）和Scott E.弗雷泽的研究将使我们更好地理解指导脊髓发育的细胞相互作用。特别是，实验将建立细胞的表型，含有合成和降解视黄酸（RA）的酶，并阐明其在指导胚胎脊髓室管膜中的生发细胞，特别是次级运动神经元的发生，迁移和命运中的作用。该实验计划建立在Rosa-Molinar实验室以前的国家科学基金会资助的工作基础上。这项工作建立了发育和成熟的西方食蚊鱼Gambusia affinis affinis（以下简称“食蚊鱼”）的RA代谢和脊髓的功能神经解剖学。该项目的测试实验将利用食蚊鱼的一些独特属性，对指导脊髓发育和分化的相互作用进行测试。正如本资助申请书中其他地方所详细描述的那样，两个实验室将开展互补工作。

The proposed project of Drs. Eduardo Rosa-Molinar, the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (UPR-RP), and Scott E. Fraser of the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) will result in a greater understanding of the cellular interactions that guide the development of the spinal cord. In particular, the experiments will establish the phenotypes of the cells that contain the enzymes synthesizing and degrading retinoic acid (RA) and elucidate their role in guiding the genesis, migration, and fate of germinal cells in the ependyma of the embryonic spinal cord, specifically, secondary motor neurons. The experimental plan builds upon previous National Science Foundation funded work performed in the Rosa-Molinar laboratory. That work established both the RA metabolism and the functional neuroanatomy of the spinal cord in the developing and mature Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis affinis (hereafter "mosquitofish"). The proposed project's test experiments on the interactions that guide the development and differentiation of the spinal cord will take advantage of some of the unique attributes of the mosquitofish. As described in detail elsewhere in this grant application, complementary work will be performed in the two laboratories.