Imaging Research Core

有一个明确的需要，发展和采用先进的技术，在显微镜， 了解聚糖的细胞功能。聚糖参与许多细胞特性，包括细胞 结构、细胞-细胞识别、蛋白质运输和蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用。因此，聚糖的变化 丰度或组成可能对细胞功能产生相当大的影响，因此人类 健康先进的成像技术正在成为一个重要的组成部分，一个综合的方法来了解 聚糖在健康和疾病中的作用。这些技术提供了对分子组成的深入了解， 同时保留了化学、结构和生理反应的空间背景， 聚糖凝集素特异性鉴定的最新进展和广泛的荧光标记的可用性 标记的和生物素化的凝集素迅速提高了我们识别位置变化的能力， 细胞和组织中丰富的特定聚糖。此外，几个强大的方法，在共聚焦 显微镜，包括FRET，FRAP和FLIP，允许高度灵敏的分子动力学措施， 活细胞这些措施将有助于研究人员了解聚糖对细胞增殖的基本影响。 功能该提案的中心目标是将采用先进成像技术的能力带到 GlyCORE研究人员在他们的不同研究计划，并帮助开发新的方法在细胞 聚糖生物学这些目标将通过三个目标来实现：1）建立一个成像核心， 三种不同的成像平台，包括功能强大的新型共聚焦显微镜; 2）支持GlyCORE 研究人员在他们的个人项目，通过努力开发新的成像应用程序;和3）开发一个 广泛的培训计划，以发展成像和成像新方法的专业知识和意识 分析.该提案将通过以下方式改变密西西比大学的糖科学研究： 提供先进的仪器和专业知识以及使用这些成像系统的培训。

There is an unequivocal need to develop and employ advanced techniques in microscopy toward understanding the cellular functions of glycans. Glycans participate in many cellular properties, including cell structure, cell-cell recognition, protein trafficking, and protein-protein interaction. Hence, changes in glycan abundance or composition can have considerable effects on cellular function, and as a consequence human health. Advanced imaging techniques are becoming a vital part of an integrative approach to understanding the roles of glycans in health and disease. These techniques provide insights into molecular composition, while preserving the spatial context of the chemical, structural, and physiological responses to changes in glycans. Recent advances in identify lectin specificities and the availability of a broad range of fluorescently labeled and biotinylated lectins has rapidly advanced our ability to identify changes in the location and abundance of specific glycans in cells and tissues. Moreover, several powerful approaches in confocal microscopy, including FRET, FRAP, and FLIP, permit highly sensitive measures of molecular dynamics within living cells. These measures will help researchers understand the fundamental effect glycans have on cellular function. The central goal of this proposal is to bring the ability to employ advanced imaging techniques to the GlyCORE investigators in their diverse research programs and to help develop new approaches in the cell biology of glycans. These goals will be accomplished in three aims: 1) establish an imaging core that contains three different imaging platforms, including a powerful new confocal microscope; 2) support the GlyCORE investigators in their individual projects by working to develop new imaging applications; and 3) develop an extensive training program to develop expertise and awareness of new methods in imaging and image analysis. This proposal will transform research in the glycosciences at the University of Mississippi by providing access to advanced instrumentation and expertise and training in the use of these imaging systems.