Neuronal Differentiation in the PNS vs. CNS: Role of Nel

为了使神经系统发挥作用，神经元必须建立它们的“正确”身份，这意味着它们必须表达一组适当的基因，以便与它们的目标建立有效的突触连接。 神经系统分为两部分：大脑和脊髓中的神经元组成中枢神经系统（CNS），而位于CNS外部的神经元组成外周神经系统（PNS）。 PNS的神经元包括所有感觉神经元，这些神经元通过身体上的触摸、压力、疼痛和温度刺激而激活。 它们必须将信息传递到中枢神经系统，以便生物体对特定刺激做出适当的反应：例如，当一个人触摸热表面时，他会将手指移开。 为了使生物体对环境做出有效的反应，这个回路中的每个神经元必须正确地工作，也就是说，每个神经元必须建立起它们的指定身份。 因此，目标是确定不同神经元细胞类型必须表达的基因组，以使特定神经元建立正确的身份。考虑到CNS和PNS中存在的神经元亚型的种类繁多，我们对驱动这些不同细胞分化模式的基因的完整集合的理解是稀疏的。 我们的建议的目标是双重的：一，以确定一个基因的功能，NEL在PNS组织和CNS组织，以比较神经系统的这两个不同的区域中的神经元的发育，和两个，进行全球比较的过程中表达的基因在CNS和PNS的神经发生和分化。 从这些实验中获得的数据将显着提高我们的分子和细胞机制的理解，这些机制驱动神经系统内神经元的多样性。

For the nervous system to function, neurons must establish their "correct" identities, meaning, they must express an appropriate set of genes in order to establish effective synaptic connections with their target(s). The nervous system is divided up into two parts: neurons in the brain and spinal cord comprise the central nervous system (CNS) while neurons that reside outside of the CNS comprise the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The neurons of the PNS include all the sensory neurons that are activated by touch, pressure, pain and temperature stimulations on the body. They must transmit their information into the CNS in order for the organism to make an appropriate response to the particular stimulus: e.g. when one touches a hot surface, one pulls one 's finger away. In order for an organism to respond effectively to one's environment, each neuron in this circuit must function correctly meaning, each neuron must have established their designated identity. Thus the goal is to identify the sets of genes that distinct neuronal cell types must express in order for that particular neuron to establish its correct identity. Considering the panoply of neuronal subtypes that exist within the CNS and PNS, our understanding of the complete sets of genes that drive these distinct patterns of cellular differentiation is sparse. The goal of our proposal is twofold: one, to determine the function of one gene, NEL in both a PNS tissue and a CNS tissue, in order to compare the development of neurons in these two distinct regions of the nervous system, and two, to conduct a global comparison of genes expressed during the process of neurogenesis and differentiation within the CNS and PNS. The data yielded from these experiments will significantly enhance our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive the establishment of the diverse spectrum of neurons within the nervous system.