DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY OF XENOPUS AUDITORY AND VESTIBULAR SYSTEMS

这项研究的重点是细胞和分子过程 位于前庭和听觉感觉器官的毛细胞中 脊椎动物耳朵发育过程中的系统。水生两栖动物， 非洲爪哇将被用作毛细胞研究的模型系统 以及他们的发展。这项研究的广泛目标是获得一个 感觉毛细胞发育和增殖的整体观 通过使用多学科的方法，利用 来自生物物理学、解剖学、组织培养和分子生物学的技术 生物学。 项目目标是：(1)将膜片钳方法用于确定 非洲爪哇毛细胞信号转导的离子机制。 毛细胞电特性的生物物理研究结果将是 与毛细胞形态和毛细胞的结构研究相关 不同发育阶段的立体纤毛束特征 发展。(2)光学显微镜、扫描显微镜和透射显微镜 用来研究非洲爪哇毛细胞结构的发育和 神经支配。(3)利用重组DNA技术克隆基因 在非洲爪哇毛发中表达的离子通道和细胞骨架蛋白 细胞。(4)建立和使用体外培养制剂 用于毛细胞再生的研究。 从这项研究中获得的知识将促进对 前庭听觉系统功能正常，也有功能障碍。结果 将增加毛细胞中信号转导途径的知识，以及 将揭示毛细胞背后的细胞和基因事件 差异化发展。这是一个重要的长期目标 研究是为了了解毛细胞的调节机制 增殖和再生。所获得的知识应该被证明是有用的 在开发基于毛细胞的听力障碍治疗方面 功能障碍，尤其是由创伤引起的功能障碍。

This research focuses on the cellular and molecular processes that take place in hair cells of the sensory organs of the vestibular and auditory systems during development of the vertebrate ear. The aquatic amphibian, Xenopus laevis, will be used as a model system for the study of hair cells and their development. The broad objective of this research is to gain an integrated view of the development and proliferation of sensory hair cells of the internal ear, by using multidisciplinary approaches that draw on techniques from biophysics, anatomy, tissue culture, and molecular biology. Project goal are: (1) The patch clamp method will be used to determine the ionic mechanisms underlying signal transduction in Xenopus hair cells. Results of biophysical studies of hair cell electrical properties will be correlated with structural studies of hair cell morphology and stereociliary bundle characteristics during different stages of development. (2) Light, scanning, and transmission microscopy will be used to examine development of Xenopus hair cell structure and innervation. (3) Recombinant DNA technology will be used to clone genes for ion channels and cytoskeletal proteins expressed in Xenopus hair cells. (4) An in vitro culture preparation will be established and used for studies of hair cell regeneration. The knowledge gained from this research will advance understanding of normal vestibulo-auditory system function as well as dysfunction. Results will increase knowledge of signal transduction pathways in hair cells, and will reveal cellular and genetic events that underlie hair cell differentiation and development. An important long-term objective of this study is to understand the mechanisms that regulate hair cell proliferation and regeneration. The knowledge gained should prove useful in developing treatments for hearing disorders based on hair cell dysfunction, particularly those caused by trauma.