Development of Epibranchial Placodes and Ganglia in Zebrafish

研究项目：在脊椎动物中，副交感神经节(EB)的感觉神经元来源于 来自外胚层的安慰剂对于形成嗅觉等颅脑感觉系统是必不可少的， 体感和味觉。尽管它们很重要，但人们对它们的分子机制知之甚少 管理EB安慰剂和神经节的不同发育方面。这项提案的总体目标是：1) 确定导致早期EB分离的细胞和分子机制 来自共同胎盘区域的前体。2)利用斑马鱼的先进遗传工具 目的：寻找与EB胎盘和神经节发育相关的新基因。 候选人：我对发育生物学的兴趣由来已久。在我毕业期间，一个统一的主题 博士后的研究是为了解决幼稚的祖细胞如何分离才能产生 不同的细胞类型，最终形成一个器官。这个问题的重要性更加深刻。 当应用于脊椎动物神经系统时，那里存在数百种细胞类型。在K99的这一部分 建议，我将研究成纤维细胞生长因子信号如何调节EB胎盘前体与共同的 前身字段。这项工作是我目前研究成纤维细胞生长因子信号转导作用的NRSA奖学金的直接延伸 在EB胎盘发育过程中。我计划继续开发有助于我学习的技术 颅骨安慰剂和神经节，包括斑马鱼转基因品系的产生和测试，这将大大 促进在Roo阶段提出的诱变筛选。在我的博士后工作之后，我计划 在学术背景下建立独立的基础研究计划。我希望这是实际可行的 在K99部分的培训中学到的理论知识将帮助我启动自己的培训 独立研究，也将让我冒险进入斑马鱼生物学的新方面。 相关性：副交感神经系统的感觉成分在许多人类中都有牵连 疾病，包括慢性阻塞性肺疾病、偏头痛、膀胱过度活动和勃起 功能障碍。副交感神经传入支功能障碍可导致心脏充血 心力衰竭或心律失常。因此，发现特定于EB安慰剂和神经节的基因应该会提供更好的 对这些疾病的潜在机制的理解。

Research project: In vertebrates, sensory neurons of the parasympathetic epibranchial (EB) ganglia derived from ectodermal placodes are essential for the formation of cranial sensory systems such as smell, somatosensation, and taste. Despite their importance, very little is known about molecular mechanisms that govern various developmental aspects of EB placodes and ganglia. The overall goals of this proposal are: 1) To define the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are responsible for segregation of the early EB precursors from the common placodal field. 2) To take advantage of advanced genetic tools in zebrafish in order to identify novel genes responsible for EB placode and ganglia development. Candidate: I have a long-standing interest in developmental biology. One unifying theme during my graduate and postodoctoral research was to address the question how naive progenitor cells segregate to give rise to diverse cell types that eventually form an organ. The importance of this question is even more profound when applied to a vertebrate nervous system, where hundreds of cell types exist. During the K99 part of this proposal, I will study how Fgf signaling regulates segregation of EB placode precursors from a common progenitor field. This work is a direct extension of my current NRSA fellowship to study roles of Fgf signaling during EB placode development. I plan to continue developing technology that will assist me in studying cranial placodes and ganglia, including generation and testing of zebrafish transgenic lines, which will greatly facilitate the mutagenesis screen proposed during the ROO phase. Following my postdoctoral work, I plan to establish an independent basic research program in an academic setting. I expect that practical and theoretical knowledge gained during the K99 part of the training will help me to jump-start my own independent studies and will also allow me to venture into new aspects of zebrafish biology. Relevance: Sensory component of the parasympathetic nervous system has been implicated in many human disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, migraines, bladder overactivity, and erectile dysfunction. Dysfunction in the afferent branch of the parasympathetic system could lead to congestive heart failure or arrhythmia. Thus, uncovering genes that specify EB placodes and ganglia should provide better understanding for the mechanisms underlying these disorders.