Biomechanics of Neural Tube Development using Brillouin-OCT Multimodality

项目总结 该建议的目的是了解组织弹性如何调节神经管闭合(NTC)。 小鼠胚胎。该提案的重点是开发实时成像方法，以可视化和量化组织 利用先进的弹性成像设备Resiberant 3D OCE(Rev3D-OCE)实现弹性。通过确定如何 通过开发组织弹性纵向变化，我将生成第一张弹性图 胚胎神经管。有了这些信息，我将覆盖神经上皮细胞的迁移模式，以确定 这些细胞正在使用趋杜性，这是一种细胞迁移的形式，细胞由僵硬梯度引导 成功施行神经管封堵术。这项工作意义重大，因为在先天性心脏病之后， 神经管缺陷(NTDS)是最常见的结构性出生缺陷。虽然已经取得了很大的进步 在确定NTDS的遗传和环境原因时，它在人类群体中的持久性要求 我们将进一步阐明造成这一有害缺陷的根本原因。这项提议也是为了 作为一次训练机会。我未来的目标是成为一家学术机构的多学科研究员。 完成本申请中提出的工作将使我有机会开发新的光学和现场 影像工具，增强了我对胚胎学和发育生物学的理解，并挑战我成为 独立、执着于我的研究。

PROJECT SUMMARY The objective of this proposal is to understand how tissue elasticity regulates neural tube closure (NTC) in the moue embryo. The proposal focuses on developing live imaging approaches to visualize and quantify tissue elasticity with an advanced elastic imaging modality, Reverberant 3D OCE (Rev3D-OCE). By determining how tissue elasticity changes longitudinally through development, I will generate the first elasticity maps of the embryonic neural tube. With this information, I will overlay neural epithelia cell migration patterns to determine if these cells are using durotaxis, a form of cell migration where cells are guided by stiffness gradients, as means to successfully execute neural tube closure. This work is significant because after congenital heart disease, neural tube defects (NTDs) are the most prevalent structural birth defect. While great advances have been made in determining the genetic and environmental causes of NTDs, its persistence in the human population demands that we further elucidate the underlying causes to this detrimental defect. This proposal is also designed to serve as a training opportunity. My future goal is to become a multidisciplinary researcher at an academic institution. Completing the work proposed in this application will give me the opportunity to develop novel optical and live imaging tools, enhance my understanding of embryology and developmental biology, and challenge me to be independent and persistent in my research.