Animal Core

本中心申请项目1-5中提出的大多数研究将集中于与精神分裂症的病理生理学有关的神经细胞群体的细胞类型特异性分析以及它们对抗精神病药物治疗的反应。这些研究将考察从mRNA转录和翻译、染色质修饰、蛋白质磷酸化、树突形态到整个细胞生理学和动物行为的各种细胞过程。几乎所有这些研究都将利用转基因小鼠，因此动物核心将致力于促进这些实验。设立一个配备有经验的人员的中央设施，将确保在需要时以具有成本效益的方式提供拟议研究所需的所有小鼠。核心的目标1将是生产新的细菌人工染色体(BAC)转基因小鼠品系。在目标2中，将对这些转基因动物的测试进行表征，以验证它们是否可用于拟议的研究。最后，核心的目标3将是培育和维护这些和其他现有的小鼠品系，这些品系将在项目1-5中进行的研究中使用。

The majority of studies proposed in Projects 1-5 of this Conte center application will focus on the cell-type specific analysis of neuronal cell populations implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and their response to treatment with antipsychotic drugs. These studies will examine cellular processes ranging from mRNA transcription and translation, chromatin modification, protein phosphorylation, dendritic morphology, to whole cellular physiology and animal behavior. Virtually all of these investigations will make use of genetically modified mice, and thus the Animal Core will be devoted to facilitating these experiments. The existence of a centralized facility staffed with experienced personnel will ensure that all the mice needed for the proposed studies are available when needed, in a cost-effective manner. Aim 1 of the Core will be the production of new Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) transgenic mouse lines. In Aim 2, the testing of these transgenic animals will be characterized so as to validate them for use in the proposed studies. Finally, Aim 3 of the Core will be the breeding and maintenance of these and other existing mouse lines that will be used throughout the studies carried out in Projects 1-5.