CELL ADHESION AND CARDIOGENESIS

对神经细胞粘附分子（NCAM）的研究已取得了一定的进展， 推进了对神经和骨骼系统中基本事件的理解， 肌肉发育 这些研究提供的证据表明， 参与了几个重要的进程，包括（a） 在结构形成过程中细胞的聚集， 背根神经节，（B）视网膜细胞分层， 以及（c）在治疗过程中神经通路和靶点的指定 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， 在大脑皮层的形成和神经支配中起着重要作用 心脏组织，例如在（a）心前细胞的聚集， 形成心脏组织块，（B）形成专门的 心脏组织的层，以及（c）路径的规范， 心肌神经支配靶点 将使用鸡胚研究NCAM的作用 心脏作为一个模型。 选择这个系统是因为它很好- 其特征在于易于操作， 体外和体内。 将采取三种方法：（1） 心脏NCAM的生化表征;（2）检测 NCAM在组织切片中的不同阶段， 胚胎心脏发生的观察;（3）胚胎心脏相互作用的观察 在特定抗体和酶存在下培养的细胞 干扰NCAM功能。 这些研究的基本目标是帮助 了解NCAM的功能和 动态细胞和组织的相互作用参与正常 心脏发生

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.