Non-receptor tyrosine kinase regulation of the neuronal cytoskeleton

Abelson激酶（Abl）可导致人类白血病的一种形式，是一种非常成功的药物Gleevec®的靶标。然而，Abl也存在于中枢神经系统中。在大脑中，Abl和相关基因Arg对脑细胞（神经元）之间连接的发育和维持很重要。Abl和Arg对调节细胞结构至关重要。本项目将以Abl和其他蛋白质为工具，研究改变脑细胞形状的基本机制，并了解这些变化如何影响脑细胞功能。我们将回答有关Abl和相关蛋白如何在神经元中起作用的基本问题，它们的活动如何影响大脑中细胞间的连接，以及他对正常和患病大脑中神经元功能的意义。随着我们研究项目的进展，我们将开发监测脑细胞连接和结构的新技术。

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.