Live cell imaging equipment for developmental and cellular biology

胚胎发育代表了新生命的第一步，而生殖细胞产生过程中的DNA重组则决定了新生命的形状。Moss和Masson的实验室不仅致力于了解单个细胞（卵子）是如何重组成成年动物的复杂结构的，而且还致力于了解基因在繁殖的第一步中是如何正确维持和共享的。胚胎的每个细胞都必须准确地理解其他细胞在做什么，这是通过在它们之间传递信号分子来实现的。莫斯实验室正试图准确地了解这些信号分子是如何被接收的，以及它们如何改变胚胎内细胞的运动。这些信号的接收错误会导致重要的畸形，通常会影响神经管的关闭（开放）。脊柱裂和无脑畸形是人类最常见的出生缺陷之一，每1000人中就有1例。卵子和精子是由二倍体亲本细胞通过减数分裂过程产生的。在减数分裂期间，通过减数分裂重组引入遗传变异，其中来自每个亲本的染色体重组产生具有相似但不同遗传标记的配子。减数分裂重组中的缺陷会导致细胞具有错误的染色体数目（非整倍性），从而导致异常或不能存活的后代。Masson博士研究的主要目的是了解DNA重组如何影响减数分裂并导致非整倍体。这是特别重要的，因为所有流产的三分之一是非整倍体，而非整倍体是发育障碍和智力迟钝的主要遗传原因。

Embryonic development represents the first steps of new life while DNA recombination during germ cell production defines the shape of this new life. The laboratories of Moss and Masson are working to understand not only how a single cell, the egg, reorganizes into the complex structure of the adult animal, but also how genes are correctly maintained and shared during the first steps of reproduction. Each cell of the embryo must understand exactly what the others are doing and this is achieved by signaling molecules that pass between them. The Moss laboratory is trying to understand exactly how these signaling molecules are received and how they change the movement of cells within the embryo. Errors in the reception of these signals lead to important malformations, often affecting closing of the neural tube (open back). Such malformations known as Spina bifida and Anencephaly are among the most common birth defects in humans, accounting for 1 birth in a 1000.Eggs and sperm are produced from diploid parental cells by the process of meiosis. During meiosis, genetic variation is introduced by meiotic recombination where chromosomes from each parent recombine producing to gametes with similar but different genetic signatures. Defects in meiotic recombination can cause cells to have the wrong number of chromosomes  (aneuploidy), resulting in abnormal or inviable progeny. The primary objective of Dr Masson's research is to understand how DNA recombination affects meiosis and leads to aneuploidy. This is of particular importance since one-third of all miscarriage are aneuploid and aneuploidy is the leading genetic cause of developmental disabilities and mental retardation.The present application is to provide the microscope equipment necessary to continue this important work.