MRI: Acquisition of flow cytometric, cell quantification and imaging equipment for use in functional studies of the human tight junction protein, claudin-3

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。一种新的流式细胞仪、细胞计数器和带数码相机的相衬显微镜正在被用来帮助推进西南大学教师和他们的本科研究人员的细胞和分子生物学研究项目。该主要项目探讨了一种膜蛋白claudin-3对人乳腺上皮细胞紧密连接（TJ）功能的贡献。TJs连接相邻的内皮细胞和上皮细胞，防止细胞间溶质的不调节流动。此外，它们还涉及一系列细胞过程，包括细胞生长、细胞运动和胚胎发育的调节。目前，关于24种不同类型的人类claudin蛋白在特定细胞类型中的作用的信息很少。通过比较正常和升高的claudin-3水平对培养乳腺上皮细胞TJ强度、细胞生长、运动性和侵袭性的影响，该项目有助于从功能上描述claudin-3在乳腺上皮TJ中的作用。本科研究人员将作为西南大学生物学暑期研究项目和整个学年的参与者，为拟议的研究做出贡献。通过为学生提供使用大型研究机构中最先进设备的机会，并应用当前的技术方法来解决分子生物学问题，他们将为进入研究生院课程和未来的科学事业做好充分的准备。该项目的成果将在每年的美国细胞生物学协会会议上发表，并在主要的细胞生物学期刊上发表。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).A new flow cytometer, a cell counter, and a phase-contrast microscope with digital camera are being used to help advance the cellular and molecular biology research programs of faculty and their undergraduate researchers at Southwestern University. The major project explores the contribution of a membrane protein, claudin-3, to tight junction (TJ) function in human breast epithelial cells. TJs connect adjacent endothelial and epithelial cells preventing the unregulated flow of solutes between cells. In addition, they have been implicated in a range of cellular processes including regulation of cell growth, cell motility and embryonic development. Currently, there is little information regarding the roles of each of the 24 different types of human claudin proteins in particular cells types. By comparing the effects of normal versus elevated levels of claudin-3 on TJ strength, cell growth, motility and invasiveness in cultured breast epithelial cells, this project is helping to functionally delineate the role of claudin-3 in breast epithelial TJs. Undergraduate researchers will contribute to the proposed research as participants in the Southwestern University Biology Summer Research Programs and throughout the school year. By providing students with the opportunities to use state of the art equipment found in large research institutions and to apply current technical approaches to solving problems in molecular biology, they will be well prepared for entry into graduate school programs and future careers in science. The outcomes of this project will be presented annually at the American Association of Cell Biology Meeting and through publication in leading Cellular Biology journals.