NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2000

这项行动为2000年NSF少数民族博士后研究金提供资金。研究和培训计划是在行为神经科学领域，题为“神经钙蛋白和钙结合在斑胸草雀端脑发育中的作用”。“虽然发育过程中的一些男性化经常是由睾丸分泌物（睾酮及其代谢产物雌二醇）介导的，但其他性二型或性别之间的差异不能用类固醇的作用来解释。 例如，雌二醇的应用已被证明只能使雌性斑胸草雀的大脑部分男性化。 在斑胸草雀物种中，雄性的端脑（大脑中控制歌声的区域）明显大于雌性。 据推测，遗传而不是激素机制也诱导这种二型性。 特别是，这项研究探讨了发展中的女性斑马雀大脑和神经钙蛋白（钙结合蛋白）对神经元发育的作用。神经钙蛋白在女性大脑中的表达已经通过RNA的扩增显示出来。 北方印迹分析，它确定RNA的存在，从而基因表达，被用来确定整个性别分化期间的神经钙蛋白表达的时间进程，和原位杂交证明其本地化的表达。 最后，钙成像是用来调查潜在的性别差异作为一个功能的游离钙，这可能是由女性神经钙蛋白增加。

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for 2000.The research and training plan is in the area of Behavioral Neuroscience and is entitled "The Role of Neurocalcin and Calcium Binding in Development of the Zebra Finch Telencephalon." Although some masculinization during development is frequently mediated by testicular secretions (testosterone and its metabolite, estradiol), other sexual dimorphisms, or variances between sexes, cannot be explained by the actions of steroids. For example, application of estradiol has been shown to only partially masculinize the brain of the female Zebra finch. In the Zebra finch species, the male telencephalon (the area of the brain that controls song) is markedly larger than that of the female. It is hypothesized that genetic rather than hormonal mechanisms also induce this dimorphism. In particular, this study examines the developing female Zebra Finch brain and the role of neurocalcin (a calcium binding protein) on neuronal development. Expression of neurocalcin in the female brain has been shown via amplification of RNA. Northern blot analysis, which identifies presence of RNA and thus gene expression, is being used to determine the time-course of neurocalcin expression throughout the entire period of sexual differentiation, and in-situ hybridization demonstrates its localized expression. Finally, calcium imaging is used to investigate the potential sex differences as a function of free calcium, which might be induced by increased neurocalcin in females.