刘缨-眼睛发育的基因调控2015.ppt

* Fig. 3. K,L: Gain-/loss-of-functional effects of Xvax2 on clonal sizes of retinal cells. The fluorescent image shows lipofected cells in retinal sections at stage 42, after transfection of GFP (K1) or cotransfection of GFP with Xvax2 (V2) construct Xvax2 (K2), Xvax2-VP16 (K3), Xvax2-EnR (K4) at st.17/18. L: Quantification of retinal clonal size is shown. Error bars represent standard error of the mean (SEM). Clone counts are indicated on each column. CMZ, ciliary marginal zone; ONL, outer nuclear layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; GCL, ganglion cell layer; Scale bars 100 m. * * * * * Prof. Christine Holt FRS Professor of Developmental Neuroscience Axon Guidance in the Developing Brain We are investigating how axons are guided to their correct synaptic targets in the brain. In the developing vertebrate visual system, retinal ganglion cells in the eye extend axons that navigate over a long distance to their synaptic targets in the midbrain. This impressive navigational feat underlies the precise wiring of the mature brain and is essential for building functional nerve connections. The goal of our research is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that guide axon growth. We use a multidisciplinary experimental approach that involves in vivo gene transfer, growth cone turning assays in vitro and time-lapse imaging of live axons in the brain. We focus in particular on the steering points within the visual pathway where axons alter their direction of growth and/or their behaviour such as the optic disc, the optic chiasm and the site of target entry. We have found, for example, that ephrin-B is important in regulating the divergent routing of axons at the chiasm and that netrin-1/DCC/laminin-1 interactions play a key role in directing axons out of the eye. Our studies have also revealed that the growing tips of axons, the growth cones, rapidly synthesize new proteins in response to encounters with guidance cues such as netrin-1. Inhibition of this local p