Non-receptor tyrosine kinase regulation of the neuronal cytoskeleton

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Abelson kinase (Abl) can cause a form of leukemia in humans and is the target of a very successful drug called Gleevec®. However Abl is also present in the central nervous system. In the brain, Abl and the related gene Arg are important for the development and maintenance of connections between brain cells (neurons). Abl and Arg are crucial for regulating the structure of cells. This project will study and use Abl and other proteins as tools to investigate the basic mechanisms of changing brain cell shape and understanding how these changes affect brain cell function. We will answer fundamental questions about how Abl and related proteins work in neurons, how their activity affects cell to cell connections in the brain, and what his means for neuron function in normal and diseased brains. As our research program progresses we will develop new techniques for monitoring brain cell connectivity and structure.