CELL ADHESION FUNCTION IN THE VISUAL SYSTEM

描述（由申请人提供）：许多钙粘蛋白家族成员是 在神经系统中表达。钙粘蛋白很重要， 生长锥迁移、成束、解束和靶向的调节剂 在发育过程中的细胞识别。各种研究已经证实， 钙粘蛋白是发育过程中形态调节过程所必需的， 先前显示钙粘蛋白调节视网膜顶盖投射。到 了解钙粘蛋白介导的细胞间粘附如何控制分化 和眼发育过程中的形态调节运动，我们将分离钙粘蛋白， 在发育中的视觉系统中表达的细胞粘附分子， 确定钙粘蛋白的时空表达模式， 特别注意视觉系统的形态发生。斑马鱼模型 系统将用于研究钙粘蛋白的功能和调节，由于 由实验操作的容易性和遗传学提供的优点 操纵发育途径。提出实验来检验 在发育中的视觉系统中起钙粘蛋白细胞粘附的作用。钙粘 被假设为提供一种组合代码， 神经系统中的回路视网膜内连接，离视网膜的 突起和离顶盖突起可以通过钙粘蛋白粘附来控制。 对发育过程中钙粘蛋白表达的详细研究， 对建立与视觉连接的过程的重要见解 系统最后，我们提出了实验操纵钙粘蛋白的表达， 和功能，然后检查在神经元回路的后果， 视觉系统，特别是视网膜顶盖连接，形成 视顶盖的视网膜定位图。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Numerous cadherin family members are expressed in the nervous system. Cadherins are well positioned to be important regulators of growth cone migration, fasciculation, defasciculation and target cell recognition during development. Various studies have established that cadherins are necessary for morphoregulatory processes during development, and cadherins were previously shown to regulate retinotectal projection. To understand how cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion controls differentiation and morphoregulatory movements during eye development, we will isolate cadherin cell adhesion molecules that are expressed in the developing visual system and determine spatial and temporal expression patterns for cadherins with particular attention to morphogenesis of the visual system. The zebrafish model system will be used to study cadherin function and regulation due to the advantages provided by the ease of experimental manipulation and genetic manipulation of developmental pathways. Experiments are proposed to examine functions for cadherin cell adhesion in the developing visual system. Cadherins are hypothesized to provide a combinatorial code for the wiring of various circuits in the nervous system. Connectivity within retina, retinofugal projections and tectofugal projections may be controlled by cadherin adhesion. Detailed examination of cadherin expression during development should provide significant insight into processes that establish connectivity with the visual system. Finally, we proposed to experimentally manipulate cadherin expression and function, and then examine the consequences on neuronal circuits in the visual system, particularly the retinotectal connections that form the retinotopic map in the optic tectum.