Regulation of Development of Peptide Neurons in Gut

肠神经系统控制运动。 肠神经元 产生多种神经递质， 网络在肠道。 这项研究的长期目标是 阐明调节发展的机制， 这些神经递质的表型和形成的 肠神经回路 证据表明 一般的环境和肠道，特别是可以影响 肽递质表型的表达。 的目标 这项研究是为了找到肠道环境中的成分， 对神经嵴细胞有指导意义， 肠神经元的前体。 爱泼斯坦博士实验室先前的工作表明， 在完整的肠道中观察到的指令最好。 研究将 进行了系统的描述肠形成 神经节和肠神经元的分化， 查明这些过程的关键条件。 免疫染色 放射自显影将用于表征表型 以及完整肠道神经节细胞的出生日期。 研究将 也可以进行，以确定数量，位置， 单个神经嵴细胞后代的表型 注射到生长在 鸡宿主的绒毛尿囊膜。 这些细胞及其 后代将通过鹌鹑特异性抗血清或 通过β-半乳糖苷酶的组织化学标记的存在。 鹌鹑细胞将预先用逆转录病毒转染， 携带β-半乳糖苷酶基因的病毒。 单细胞 实验将表明表达模式是否可以 在置于完整肠道环境中的细胞中检测到。 的 获得的知识将有助于设计未来的实验 阐明调节表型的机制， 表情 发展基本情况及 肠道神经元回路的组织将有助于 了解肠道运动缺陷的原因， 表现为假性梗阻等症状。

The enteric nervous system controls motility. Enteric neurons produce a variety of neurotransmitters and form a neuronal network in the gut. The long-term objective of this research is to elucidate the mechanisms which regulate the development of these neuronal transmitter phenotypes and the formation of the enteric neuronal circuitry. Evidence indicates that the environment in general and the gut in particular can influence the expression of peptide transmitter phenotypes. The goal of this research is to find the components in the gut environment that are instructive to the neural crest cells which are the precursors of enteric neurons. Previous work from Dr. Epstein's laboratory has indicated that instruction is best observed in intact gut. Studies will be carried out to describe systematically the formation of enteric ganglia and the differentiation of enteric neurons in order to pinpoint conditions critical to these processes. Immunostaining and radioautography will be used to characterize the phenotypes and birthdates of cells in ganglia from intact gut. Studies will also be carried out to determine the number, location, and phenotypes of the descendants of single neural crest cells injected into pieces of isolated chick gut grown on chorioallantoic membrane of chick hosts. These cells and their descendants will be detected by either quail-specific antisera or by the presence of a histochemical marker for beta-galactosidase. Quail cells will have been previously transfected with a retro- virus carrying the beta-galactosidase gene. The single cell experiments will indicate if patterns of expression can be detected in cells placed in the intact gut environment. The knowledge obtained will be useful in designing future experiments to elucidate the mechanisms which regulate the phenotypic expression. Basic information about the development and organization of the enteric neuronal circuitry will help in understanding the reasons for defects in gut motility as manifested by conditions such as pseudo-obstruction.