Descrizione del progetto
Tracciare il profilo degli agenti del traffico molecolare e delle cellule migratorie che dirigono
La migrazione delle cellule, individuale o di gruppo, avviene durante tutto lo sviluppo embrionale. La disfunzione di questo processo è stata collegata a numerosi disturbi dello sviluppo neurologico così come a disturbi dello spettro autistico e all’epilessia. Gli agenti del traffico che guidano la migrazione sono molecole di netrina in grado di passare dall’attrarre o respingere le cellule in migrazione, guidandone il movimento ai punti di controllo intermedi. Sembra che ciò sia collegato al tipo e al numero di recettori della netrina alle estremità delle estensioni neuronali, ma i meccanismi effettivi non sono chiari. Il progetto LAMININ, finanziato dall’UE, ha in programma di chiarirli attraverso studi sui complessi netrin-recettore, nonché sulla localizzazione e l’attività delle proteine all’interno dei coni di crescita neuronale in movimento.
Obiettivo
Proper wiring and connectivity of the central and peripheral nervous system requires that during embryonic development neurons migrate and extend in the correct directions to connect to their targets. Defects in the neuronal navigation machinery lead to a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders such as Hirschsprung’s disease, Kallmann syndrome, ACC and has been associated with autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy. Neuronal navigation relies on a structure at the tips of neuronal extensions, termed the growth cone which is able to detect gradients of guidance molecules (chemotactants) secreted by cells at a distance. The chemotactant netrin, which binds multiple netrin receptors, can switch between attracting and repelling growth cones, a property which helps neurons change directionality upon reaching an intermediate target. While it has been demonstrated that this is related to the complement of netrin receptors expressed by the neuron, it is unclear how different receptor combinations trigger opposing directional responses within the growth cone. It was recently shown that aberrant expression of netrin receptors in cells that don’t normally express it cause aberrant migration of neurons, which might explain some of the symptoms associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Mowat-Wilson syndrome. This proposal aims to understand at the molecular level how netrin can both attract and repel neuronal growth cones. This will be accomplished by mapping the interactome of both attractive and repulsive netrin-receptor complexes, and by mapping the spatial distribution and activity of proteins within actively steering growth cones, via high resolution microscopy, micropatterning and optogenetics to spatially modulate protein activities. This combinatorial approach will improve our understanding of neuronal guidance, associated disorders, and new technologies developed in this proposal might aid in the development of novel organ-on-chip technology.
Campo scientifico
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyepilepsy
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesdevelopmental biology
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesmicrotechnologyorgan on a chip
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF-EF-RI - RI – Reintegration panelCoordinatore
3015 GD Rotterdam
Paesi Bassi