Our current work is aimed at the identification and characterization of the neuroepithelial precursor cell in the embryonic rat. The strategy we have used was first, to identify the major morphological cell classes in the neural tube at the time of neurogenesis using monoclonal antibodies (Hockfield and McKay, 1985). Secondly, we have showed that one of these monoclonal antibodies recognizes neuroepithelial precursor cells in vivo (Frederiksen and McKay, 1985). The third step in this strategy has been to immortalize cell lines from the early nervous system using retroviral transduction of an oncogene. These cell lines have properties of neuroepthelial precursor cells. This proposal focuses on the origin, fate, and function of these cells. These studies are relevant to CNS injury and repair and to two neural diseases, neural tumors and demyelinating disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01NS021991-08S2
Application #
3403797
Study Section
Neurological Sciences Subcommittee 1 (NLS)
Project Start
1984-08-01
Project End
1993-04-30
Budget Start
1992-12-01
Budget End
1993-04-30
Support Year
8
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02139
Erzurumlu, R S; McKay, R D; Jhaveri, S (1994) Morphological specification of trigeminal neurites depends on target fields. Brain Res Dev Brain Res 83:132-7
Erzurumlu, R S; Jhaveri, S; Takahashi, H et al. (1993) Target-derived influences on axon growth modes in cultures of trigeminal neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 90:7235-9
Whittemore, S R; Holets, V R; Keane, R W et al. (1991) Transplantation of a temperature-sensitive, nerve growth factor-secreting, neuroblastoma cell line into adult rats with fimbria-fornix lesions rescues cholinergic septal neurons. J Neurosci Res 28:156-70