MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF NEURONAL MORPHOGENESIS

了解神经元形态发生的分子基础对于解决各种神经生物学问题非常重要，从功能性神经系统的建立到参与学习和记忆的神经元的结构可塑性。为了研究神经元如何在果蝇中枢神经系统中获得其复杂的形态，研究人员开发了一种新的遗传镶嵌系统，用于在其他野生型背景下特异性标记遗传改变的神经元的形态。利用这个新开发的系统，人们可以密切跟踪单个野生型或突变型神经元的形态发生过程。为了进一步阐明神经元形态发生的分子机制，我们将在这个新的遗传镶嵌系统中使用不同的标记，以单细胞分辨率来研究发育野生型突变神经元的细胞骨架组织的各个方面。此外，还将研究蘑菇体的发育，特别是在变态过程中对神经母细胞增殖和神经元重组的调节，这对未来筛选蘑菇体发育相关的新基因具有重要意义。由于蘑菇体在学习记忆中的重要作用，本研究也将有助于阐明学习记忆的分子机制。

DESCRIPTION Understanding the molecular basis of neuronal morphogenesis is important for addressing various neurobiological questions, from the establishment of a functional nervous system to the structural plasticity of neurons involved in learning and memory. To study how neurons acquire their complicated morphology in the Drosophila central nervous system, a novel genetic mosaic system has been developed for specifically labeling the morphology of genetically altered neurons in an otherwise wild type background. Using this newly developed system, one can closely follow the morphogenetic process of individual wild type or mutant neurons. To elucidate further the molecular mechanisms of neuronal morphogenesis, various aspects of cytoskeleton organization in developing wild type of mutant neurons will be examined with single cell resolution by using different markers in this new genetic mosaic system. Additionally, development of the mushroom body, especially regulation of neuroblast proliferation and reorganization of neurons during metamorphosis, will be investigated, which is important for future genetic screening of noel genes involved in mushroom body development. Cause of the essential role of the mushroom body in learning and memory, this study will also help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of learning and memory.