MRPG: Regulation of Olfactory Sustentacular Cell-Specific Gene Expression

在哺乳动物的鼻子内部，包含嗅觉受体的细胞层也包含许多支撑细胞。这些支撑细胞的功能尚不清楚，但它们的分泌物可能调节上皮湿润涂层中气味分子的处理。现在，人们对化学感觉组织中受体的功能如何受到这种受体周围机制的影响产生了积极的兴趣。这项有限的研究是由少数民族研究计划资助的，它使用分子工具来识别基因表达，从而阐明这些细胞产生的蛋白质受到调节的机制。研究结果将对化学感觉研究产生影响，为进一步分析这类重要细胞奠定基础。通过帮助来自科学界代表性不足的群体的年轻研究者、教师和导师建立独立的职业生涯，该奖项还将对科学和教育的基础设施产生影响。

Inside the nose of mammals, the sheet of cells that contains olfactory receptors also contains many sustentacular cells. The function of these sustentacular cells is not well understood, but their secretions may modulate the handling of odorant molecules in the moist coating of the epithelium. There now an active interest in how functions of receptors in chemosensory tissues are influenced by such peri-receptor mechanisms. This limited study is a Minority Research Planning Grant that uses molecular tools to identify gene expression, and so clarify mechanisms by which the proteins produced by these cells are regulated. Results will have an impact on chemosensory research by laying groundwork for further analysis of this important class of cells. By helping to establish an independent career for a young investigator, teacher and mentor from a group that remains underrepresented in science, this award also will have an impact on the infrastructure of science and education.