Development of Epibranchial Placodes and Ganglia in Zebrafish

研究项目：在脊椎动物中，副交感上鳃（EB）神经节的感觉神经元衍生 来自外胚层基板的细胞对于颅感觉系统如嗅觉的形成是必需的， 躯体感觉和味觉。尽管它们很重要，但人们对它们的分子机制知之甚少， 控制EB基板和神经节的各种发育方面。本提案的总体目标是：1） 明确早期EB病毒分离的细胞和分子机制 共同基板领域的先驱。2)为了利用先进的遗传工具在斑马鱼， 以确定负责EB基板和神经节发育的新基因。 我对发育生物学有着长期的兴趣。我毕业时的一个统一主题 博士后的研究是为了解决幼稚祖细胞如何分离， 最终形成一个器官的不同细胞类型。这个问题的重要性更是深刻 当应用于脊椎动物神经系统时，其中存在数百种细胞类型。在K99部分， 根据这个建议，我将研究FGF信号如何调节EB基板前体从一个共同的细胞中分离。 祖先领域这项工作是我目前NRSA奖学金的直接延伸，以研究FGF信号转导的作用 在EB基板发育期间。我计划继续开发有助于我学习的技术 颅板和神经节，包括斑马鱼转基因系的产生和测试，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 在学术环境中建立独立的基础研究计划。我希望这是实际的， 在K99培训部分获得的理论知识将帮助我快速启动自己的 这也将使我能够探索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与许多人类 疾病，包括慢性阻塞性肺病、偏头痛、膀胱过度活动和勃起功能障碍。 功能障碍副交感神经系统传入分支功能障碍可导致充血性心脏病 失败或心律失常。因此，揭示基因，指定EB基板和神经节应该提供更好的 了解这些疾病背后的机制。

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.