2005 Elastin and Elastic Fibers Gordon Conference

描述(申请人提供)：近年来，对弹性纤维的研究大幅增加，在原弹性蛋白、纤维蛋白和相关蛋白的组装、结构和功能、弹性纤维在发育和其他生物过程中的作用、它们在生物材料和组织工程中的用途以及对它们如何影响COPD等疾病的功能基因组学方面有了许多重大发现。弹性蛋白酶的新的生物学效应主要是通过基因打靶来阐明的，包括炎症和宿主对肿瘤进展和微生物的防御。重要的新见解包括：描述赖氨酰氧化酶和纤维蛋白基因家族在弹性纤维形成中的关键作用。详细的纤维蛋白分子、微纤维和弹性纤维的结构-功能和组装分析。与弹性纤维分子和受体进行细胞-基质通讯的分子基础。微纤维在转化生长因子家族生长因子存储和靶向中的作用。遗传性弹性纤维疾病的基因-表型测定。弹性纤维分子在弹性组织工程和修复中的开发。本申请申请资金用于支持将于2005年7月31日至8月5日举行的第十四届戈登弹性蛋白和弹性纤维研究会议，这次会议将汇集基础科学家和临床医生，促进关于弹性蛋白和微纤维的分子/细胞生物学、生物化学、生物合成、组装和病理生物学的数据交换，并成为对这些不寻常和关键的结缔组织组件进行国际研究的主要刺激因素。会议将交流令人振奋的新见解，并鼓励来自不同学科的与会者进行讨论。这种交叉授粉是激发新的洞察力和信息浪潮的最有效方式。与过去几年一样，这些个人互动将导致新的合作研究，并刺激弹性纤维研究的新途径。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Research on elastic fibers has increased dramatically in recent years, with many major recent findings on the assembly, structure and function of tropoelastin, fibrillins and associated proteins, the role of elastic fibers in development and other biological processes, their utility in biomaterials and tissue engineering, and functional genomic insights into how they influence diseases such as COPD. New biological effects of elastases, elucidated largely through gene targeting, include inflammation and host defense against tumor progression and microbes. Important new insights include: Delineation of critical roles for lysyl oxidase and fibulin gene families in elastic fiber formation. Detailed structure-function and assembly analysis of fibrillin molecules, microfibrils and elastic fibers. Molecular basis of cell-matrix communications with elastic fiber molecules and receptors. Role of microfibrils in TGF-beta family growth factor storage and targeting. Genotype-phenotype determination in heritable elastic fiber disorders. Exploitation of elastic fiber molecules in engineering and repair of elastic tissues. This application requests funds to support the fourteenth Gordon Research Conference on Elastin and Elastic Fibers to be held from July 31 - August 5, 2005, which will bring together basic scientists and clinicians, facilitate exchange of data on the molecular/ cell biology, biochemistry, biosynthesis, assembly, and pathobiology of elastin and microfibrils, and act as a major stimulus for international research into these unusual and critical connective tissue assemblies. The Conference will communicate exciting new insights and stimulate discussion among participants from different disciplines. This cross-pollination is a most effective way of stimulating new waves of insight and information. As in past years, these personal interactions will result in new collaborative studies and stimulate novel avenues of elastic fiber investigation.