Non-receptor tyrosine kinase regulation of the neuronal cytoskeleton

Abelson Kinase(Abl)可导致人类一种形式的白血病，是一种非常成功的名为Gleevec®的药物的靶标。然而，Abl也存在于中枢神经系统。在大脑中，Abl和相关基因Arg对脑细胞(神经元)之间的连接的发展和维持至关重要。ABL和Arg是调节细胞结构的关键。该项目将研究和使用Abl和其他蛋白质作为工具，研究改变脑细胞形状的基本机制，并了解这些变化如何影响脑细胞功能。我们将回答基本的问题，如Abl和相关蛋白质如何在神经元中工作，它们的活动如何影响大脑中的细胞到细胞的连接，以及他对正常和疾病大脑中的神经元功能意味着什么。随着我们研究计划的进展，我们将开发新的技术来监测脑细胞的连通性和结构。

Abelson kinase (Abl) can cause a form of leukemia in humans and is the target of a very successful drug called Gleevec®. However Abl is also present in the central nervous system. In the brain, Abl and the related gene Arg are important for the development and maintenance of connections between brain cells (neurons). Abl and Arg are crucial for regulating the structure of cells. This project will study and use Abl and other proteins as tools to investigate the basic mechanisms of changing brain cell shape and understanding how these changes affect brain cell function. We will answer fundamental questions about how Abl and related proteins work in neurons, how their activity affects cell to cell connections in the brain, and what his means for neuron function in normal and diseased brains. As our research program progresses we will develop new techniques for monitoring brain cell connectivity and structure.