Neurobiology of peptidergic and aminergic neurons in insects

我研究项目的中心主题是昆虫神经系统的功能。我们正在建立神经系统交流的机制；使用神经生理学、神经化学、内分泌学和分子生物学技术检查激素、突触和调节机制。我们所问的问题对所有神经系统来说都是至关重要的：神经元如何将信息传递给目标细胞？什么类型的化学物质作为这些信息的传递者，这些化学信息是如何被目标细胞翻译的？如何调节和协调这些信息，使动物产生适当的行为？我们特别感兴趣的是肽和胺作为神经激素的作用，释放到血液中协调不同细胞群的活动，作为神经调节剂，调节不同途径的持续活动。我们专注于许多已确定的肽家族，胺和新型肽，结合多种技术，以寻求对适当细胞的整合和调节的完整理解。

The central theme of my research program is the functioning of the insect nervous system. We are establishing the mechanisms by which the nervous system communicates; examining hormonal, synaptic, and modulatory mechanisms using neurophysiological, neurochemical, endocrinological, and molecular biological techniques. The questions we are asking are fundamentally important for all nervous systems: How can a neuron transmit information to a target cell? What types of chemicals act as the transmitters for this information and how are these chemical messages translated by the target cell? How can this information be modulated and coordinated to produce an appropriate behaviour in the animal? In particular we are interested in the role of peptides and amines as neurohormones, released into the blood to co-ordinate activities of diverse groups of cells, and as neuromodulators, modulating the ongoing activities of distinct pathways. We focus on a number of identified peptide families and amines and novel peptides, incorporating multiple techniques in the quest for a complete understanding of the integration and regulation of the appropriate cells.