Wnt regulation of C. elegans neuroblast and neuronal polarity

描述(申请人提供)：了解神经母细胞和神经元如何极化是神经发育中的一个基本问题。我们建议在线虫中研究这个问题，重点是线虫前/后(A/P)轴上的极性是如何建立的。线虫已成为神经系统发育的重要模型。在线虫和脊髓中，相同的分子引导轴突沿背侧/腹侧和A/P轴迁移。例如，在这两种生物中，WNT糖蛋白引导轴突朝向前部。在线虫中，Wnts不仅是轴突引导的主要调节者，也是神经母细胞和神经元极性的主要调节者。我们建议定义WNTS用来调节这两个过程的共同机制。此外，Wnt途径成分的失调也会导致多种形式的癌症。了解Wnt调控和信号转导的机制对脊髓修复和癌症有潜在的意义。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Understanding how neuroblasts and neurons polarize is a fundamental problem in neurodevelopment. We propose to study this problem in C. elegans with a focus on how polarity is established along the C. elegans anterior/posterior (A/P) axis. C. elegans has been an important model for the nervous system development. In both C. elegans and the spinal cord, the same molecules guide migrating axons along the dorsal/ventral and A/P axes. Wnt glycoproteins, for example, guide axons toward the anterior in both organisms. In C. elegans, Wnts are the main regulators not only of axon guidance, but also of neuroblast and neuronal polarity. We propose to define the common mechanisms that Wnts use to regulate these two processes. In addition, disregulation of Wnt-pathway components contributes to many forms of cancer. Understanding the mechanisms of Wnt regulation and signaling has potential implications for spinal cord repair and cancer.