Signaling Pathways Controlling the Growth and Proliferation of Drosophila Perineurial Glial Cells
Year: 2004
Type: report
Abstract: The long term goals of this research are to understand the mechanisms by which NFl controls growth using the Drosophila peripheral nerve. This system is advantageous because we can apply a number of powerful molecular genetic methodologies that are not available in other systems. The aims of this project address three specific aspects of growth control. In our first aim, we asked if NF1 acts downstream of a G protein to exert its effects. We have found that overexpression of NF1 and its upstream activators amnesiac (amn) and G(sub a)s, each confer a similar glial growth phenotype: enhancement of the effects on glial growth of expression of Ras(exp V12), but no effect in an otherwise wildtype background. These data strongly support the hypothesis that Neurofibromin is an effector of a signalling pathway acting by amn through G(sub a)s, Last year, we reported negative results for our second aim, but these negative results can now be reinterpreted based on the success of our newly revised hypothesis. Under the aegis of this hypothesis, new and more productive experiments to test the effects of altered neurotransmitter release on perineurial glial growth are proposed. The third aim was completed last year and no new results are presented.
DOI: 10.21236/ada428460
Author: Michael Stern
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4246096995