RPG: Modulation of Aplysia Bag Cell Sodium Current

[9508705 Fieber]本研究提出的实验将研究海蜗牛神经功能的控制。这种无脊椎动物的简单神经系统是研究直接影响动物行为的神经功能变化的模型。神经系统对白蛉产卵的控制是我们将要研究的生理现象。这项研究将采用单细胞电压箝位技术，这种技术通过一组被称为袋细胞的神经细胞中的特殊通道流动。该研究的两个具体目标是：1)找出研究单个钠通道的方法，以了解它们如何在导致产卵的神经模式中发挥作用；2)确定在动物产卵期间在体内循环的某些激素，这些激素可能会改变钠电流的运作方式。这些研究是一项计划研究的第一步，该研究将探索产卵依赖于这些钠电流的特定变化这一想法。这些研究对于理解动物的神经系统如何控制生理或行为反应具有广泛的相关性。

9508705 Fieber The experiments proposed in this study will address control of neural function in the marine snail, Aplysia. The simple nervous system of this invertebrate is a model for the study of changes in neural function that directly affect the animal's behavior. The neural control of egg laying in Aplysia is the physiological phenomenon that will be examined. The study will employ the technique of single cell voltage clamping, which flows through special channels in a group of neural cells called bag cells. Two specific goals of the study are: 1) to work out methods for studying single sodium channels to understand how they execute their role in the neural pattern that results in egg laying, and 2) to identify certain hormones that circulate in the body of the animal during egg laying that may change the way the sodium currents operate. These studies are the first step in a planned study that will explore the idea that egg laying is dependent on specific changes in these sodium currents. Such studies have broad relevance for understanding how an animal's nervous system controls physiological or behavioral responses.