Transcriptional regulators of motor columnar specification

我们的首要研究目标是全面了解指导 脊髓内各种运动柱的发育及其对神经的作用 用于运动的电路。该提案旨在研究一种名为节前MC(PGC，又名CT)的MC 鸡的Terni柱)，它只存在于脊髓的胸部水平，含有内脏运动 控制交感神经系统活动的神经元(VMN)。在交感神经节， PGC运动神经元(MN)的轴突与交感神经元形成突触，交感神经元调节 平滑肌纤维、心肌和腺体的活动。鉴于PGC中的VMN控制SymN， 它以各种内脏为靶标，很容易推测PGC不是一个同质的细胞群体 而是由多个子类型组成。然而，尽管我们的生成机制最近取得了进展 在脊髓MC中，对PGC的具体身份知之甚少。PGC细胞成分的研究 对MN或分子的理解将询问该领域的这两个主要问题。 我们强有力的初步发现导致了我们的假设：PGC MN有多种亚型，Jun是一种 决定命运的基因调控网络中的重要转录因子--规范、分化、 PGC MN的多样化、胞体迁移和轴突投射.为了剖析这一假设，我们 将采用细胞、生化、遗传和无偏见的全基因组方法。

Our overarching research goal is to comprehensively understand the gene regulatory network that directs the development of various motor columns (MCs) in the spinal cord and how each MC contributes to the neural circuitry for locomotion. This proposal is designed to study a MC named PreGanglionic MC (PGC, aka CT for Column of Terni in chick), which is found only in thoracic levels of the spinal cord and contains visceral motor neurons (vMNs) that control the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SymNS). In sympathetic ganglia, the axons of PGC motor neurons (MNs) form synapse with sympathetic neurons, which then regulate the activity of smooth muscle fibers, cardiac muscles, and glands. Given that vMNs in the PGC control the SymNS, which targets various internal organs, it is tempting to speculate that PGC is not a homogenous cell population and instead consists of multiple subtypes. However, despite recent advances in our generation mechanisms of spinal MCs, little is known about either that specify PGC identity. This study the cellular composition of PGC understanding of the MNs or the molecular will interrogate these two major issues in the field. Our strong preliminary findings led to our hypothesis: PGC MNs have multiple subtypes and Jun is a vital transcription factor in the gene regulatory network that directs fate-specification, differentiation, diversification, cell body migration, and axonal projection of PGC MNs.” To dissect this hypothesis, we will employ an ensemble of cellular, biochemical, genetic and unbiased genome-wide approaches.