CELL ADHESION AND CARDIOGENESIS

神经细胞黏附分子(NCAM)的研究 加深了对神经和骨骼基本事件的理解 肌肉发育。这些研究提供了NCAM的证据 参与了几个重要的进程，包括：(A) 细胞在结构形成过程中的聚集 背根神经节，(B)视网膜细胞分层， 和(C)指定神经通路和靶点 视觉系统和骨骼肌的神经支配。NCAM， 在发育中的心脏中大量检测到的，也可能 在神经中枢的形成和支配中起着重要作用 心脏组织，如在(A)心脏前细胞聚集到 形成心脏组织团块，(B)形成特化 心脏组织层，以及(C)通路和 心肌的神经支配靶点 NCAM的作用将用鸡胚胎来研究。 以心为榜样。选择这个系统是因为它很好地- 具有特征且易于访问，可在 体外和体内。我们会采取三种方法：(1) 心脏NCAM的生化特征：(2)检测 NCAM在不同时期的组织切片中的表达 心脏发生；(3)胚胎心脏相互作用的观察 在存在特定抗体和酶的情况下培养的细胞 这扰乱了NCAM的功能。 这些研究的基本目标是帮助 了解NCAM的功能和众多 参与正常的动态细胞和组织相互作用 心脏生成。

Research on the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) has advanced the understanding of basic events in neural and skeletal muscle development. These studies provide evidence that NCAM is involved in several important processes including (a) the aggregation of cells during the formation of structures such as dorsal root ganglia, (b) the segregation of retinal cells into layers, and (c) the specification of nerve pathways and targets during innervation of the optic system and skeletal muscle. NCAM, which is detected in abundance in the developing heart, may also have an important role in the formation and innervation of cardiac tissue such as in (a) the aggregation of precardiac cells to form the heart tissue masses, (b) the formation of specialized layers of heart tissue, and (c) the specification of pathways and targets of innervation of the myocardium The role of NCAM will be investigated using the chicken embryo heart as a model. This system was chosen because it is well- characterized and readily accessible for manipulation both in vitro and in vivo. Three approaches will be pursued: (1) biochemical characterization of the cardiac NCAM; (2) detection of NCAM in histological sections during various stages of cardiogenesis; (3) observations of interacting embryonic heart cells in culture in the presence of specific antibodies and enzymes which perturb NCAM function. The fundamental goals of these studies are to aid in the understanding of both NCAM function and the multitude of dynamic cell and tissue interactions involved in normal cardiogenesis.