RUI: The Influence of the Microenvironment on the Differentiation of Primary Mesenchyme Cells in the Sea Urchin Embryo

本项目的目标是：1)研究细胞间相互作用在海胆胚胎微粒分化中的作用；2)研究胚胎细胞外基质(ECM)环境的改变对初级间充质分化的影响；3)研究微粒和初级间充质在体内和体外合成的ECM组分的特征。这些细胞的分化将通过a)毛刺的形态外观，b)毛刺基质基因转录的定量，c)毛刺基质蛋白信使核糖核酸的积累，d)毛刺基质蛋白的合成的定量来监测。海胆是研究胚胎发育早期事件的良好模型系统。在这里，本森博士将研究胚胎骨骼分化所涉及的因素。他在一所本科院校，作为培训的一部分，学生们将在这项研究中发挥重要作用。

The objectives of this project are: 1) To examine the role of cell-cell interactions on the differentiation of micromeres of the sea urchin embryo, 2) To examine the effects of modifications of the extracellular matrix (ECM) environment of the embryo on the differentiation of the primary mesenchyme, 3) To characterize the ECM components synthesized by micromeres and primary mesenchyme in vivo and in vitro. Differentiation of these cells will be monitored by a) morphological appearance of spicules, b) quantitation of transcription of a spicule matrix gene, c) quantitation of accumulation of a spicule matrix protein mRNA, d) quantitation of synthesis of spicule matrix protein. %%% The sea urchin serves as an excellent model system for studying the early events in embryo development. Here Dr. Benson will look at the factors involved in the differentiation of the embryonic skeleton. He is at an undergraduate institution and the students will play a major part in this research as part of their training.