COMPARING THE PROCESSES OF NEURAL DEVELOPMEANT & REGENERATION IN ZEBRAFISH

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。该项目的目标是研究神经回路发育的机制，并将这些神经发育机制与斑马鱼再生的机制进行比较。这个项目的目的是确定神经再生是否与神经发育过程相似，或者这两个过程是否代表不同的机制。这项工作的第一个具体目的是确定视网膜损伤后视网膜和顶盖的恢复是否遵循正常发育中发现的相同解剖和生理顺序。第二个具体目标是检查环境因素是否可以改变神经发育和再生的顺序。为了确定环境信号在视网膜发育和再生中的重要性，视黄酸（RA）水平将被改变；RA是一种已知的视网膜发育所必需的形态因子。该项目的意义在于，它将更好地理解神经再生和视觉发育之间的关系，并对眼睛健康问题和任何导致视网膜损伤的眼病产生影响。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The goals of this project are to examine the mechanisms involved in the development of neural circuits and compare these mechanisms of neural development to the mechanisms involved in regeneration in zebrafish. The purpose of this project is to determine whether neural regeneration is similar to the process of neural development or whether the two processes represent different mechanisms. The first specific aim of this work is to determine whether the recovery of the retina and tectum following retinal damage follows the same anatomical and physiological sequence found in normal development. The second specific aim is to examine whether environmental factors can modify the sequence of neural development and regeneration. To determine the importance of environmental signals in the developing and regenerating retina, retinoic acid (RA) levels will be altered; RA is a known morphogen necessary for retinal development. The project's significance is that it will provide a better understanding of the relationship between neural regeneration and visual development and has implications for eye health issues and for any eye disease in which retinal damage occurs.