Genetic and Morphologic Basis of Bat Wing Development

描述（由申请人提供）： 蝙蝠在化石记录中的突然出现（大约5000万年前）表明，蝙蝠的形态学特化的进化是为了动力飞行（即，前肢趾骨的延长和尺骨的复位）发生得非常迅速。这项研究测试的假设，即肢体形态的变化，在蝙蝠的快速进化中看到的，从肢体发育的几个关键监管机构的时空表达的变化。为了验证这一假设，将蝙蝠（蝙蝠）的专门四肢的分子和形态模式与小鼠（小家鼠）的非常相似的飞行前蝙蝠祖先的四肢进行比较。通过说明蝙蝠翅膀进化的形态学和分子基础，这项研究将提供一个更好的理解基因表达模式和由此产生的形态之间的关系，并扩大我们的知识，这些基因的作用的自然变化。此外，了解基因的正常作用，也发挥了作用，在异常发育事件，如癌症（即，Ihh和BMP）将为其他与卫生保健有关的生物医学研究提供知识基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The sudden appearance of bats in the fossil record (approximately 50 million years ago) suggests that the evolution of the morphological specializations of bats for powered flight (i.e., elongation of the forelimb phalanges and reduction of the ulna) occurred very rapidly. This study tests the hypothesis that changes in limb morphology, as seen in the rapid evolution of bats, arise from changes in the temporal and spatial expression of a few key regulators of limb development. To test this hypothesis, the molecular and morphological patterning of the specialized limbs of a bat (Carollia perspicillata) will be compared with those of a mouse (Mus musculus) that closely resemble the limbs of the pre-flight bat ancestor. By illustrating the morphological and molecular basis of the evolution of the bat wing, this study will provide a better understanding of the relationship between gene expression patterns and the resultant morphologies and expand our knowledge of the natural variation of the roles of these genes. In addition, understanding the normal roles of genes that also play a role in abnormal developmental events such as cancer (i.e., Ihh and BMP) will provide a knowledge base for additional healthcare-related biomedical research.