Objective
A molecular explanation of how the vertebrate eye is built is the goal of this proposal. This is broken into three stages, the formation of the eye anlagen, the subdivision of the optic vesicle into the retina, pigment epithelium, and optics talk, and the generation of various neuronal cell types in the retina. The experiments here take advantage of modern molecular genetic analysis in four powerful vertebrate species to elucidate the roles the key genes involved in these processes and to identify new genes. Much of the work is focused on understanding the genetic and cellular interactions, the interplay of signalling molecules and transcription factors, extrinsic and intrinsic components of the genetic network of eye development. The recent discovery of retinal stem cells in vertebrates stimulates the last part of this proposal, a detailed characterisation of these cells using the knowledge gained from the investigation into eye development.
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contracts
Coordinator
CB2 3DY Cambridge
United Kingdom
Participants (6)
91405 Orsay
28002 Madrid
69012 Heidelberg
56010 Ghezzano
91405 Gometz La Ville
London
