DRUG INTERACTIONS WITH BRAIN MICROTUBULE PROTEINS

微管广泛分布于真核细胞和组织中，并且 尤其是在中枢神经系统中含量丰富。它们对于一个 大量的细胞过程，特别是那些与 细胞形态的发展和维持，细胞形态的变化，以及某些 细胞运动的形式。显然，微管必须发挥重要作用。 在中枢神经系统功能中。例如，它们似乎对发展至关重要 并维持神经细胞的不对称形状特征； 它们似乎同时参与了慢速和快速的轴浆运输。 然而，目前还没有生物化学定义的知识来说明什么是真实的 微管的机械功能是，以及微管的具体作用(S) 中枢神经系统中的微管在很大程度上仍不清楚。 这项研究的主要目的是描述大脑微管的特征。 (神经管)生化与功能用两种实验方法 接近了。一种方法是研究生物化学特性。 鸡和牛的微管蛋白和其他微管相关蛋白 中枢神经系统。一些具体的问题将涉及到对 中枢神经系统中微管的亚群及其调控 脑微管的对端组装和拆解。第二 方法涉及药物的生化作用机制的研究。 抑制微管聚合的物质。药物相互作用的研究进展 与微管蛋白不仅产生有关生化作用机制的信息 也提供了关于生物化学的有价值的信息 微管的性质和功能作用。这些研究的目的是 明确与微管蛋白相关的生化性质 微管功能，长期目标是理解微管的作用 微管与脑功能的关系。

Microtubules are widely distributed in eucaryotic cells and tissues, and are especially abundant in the central nervous system. They are essential to a large number of cellular processes, particularly those concerned with the development and maintenance of cell shape, changes in cell shape, and certain forms of cell motility. It is evident that microtubules must play vital roles in CNS function. For example, they appear to be essential to the development and maintenance of the asymmetric shape characteristic of neuronal cells; and it seems likely that they are involved in both slow and fast axoplasmic transport. However, there is as yet no biochemically defined knowledge as to what the true mechanistic functions of microtubules are, and the specific role(s) of microtubules in the CNS remain largely unknown. The main objectives of this research are to characterize brain microtubule (neurotubule) biochemistry and function with the use of two experimental approaches. One approach focuses on investigation of the biochemical properties of tubulin and other microtubule-associated proteins from the chick and bovine CNS. Some of the specific questions will be concerned with characterization of the subpopulations of microtubules in the CNS, and with regulation of opposite-end assembly and disassembly of brain microtubules. The second approach involves investigation of the biochemical mechanisms of action of drugs that inhibit microtubule polymerization. Studies on the interactions of drugs with tubulin not only yield information on the biochemical mechanisms of action of the drugs, but also provide valuable information on the biochemical properties and functional roles of microtubles. The purpose of these studies is to define the biochemical properties of microtubule protein which are related to microtubule functions, with the long-term goal of understanding the roles of microtubules in relation to brain function.