Neural crest cells are a multipotent group of cells that contribute to many different organ systems in vertebrates. These cells originate in the developing central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), but then migrate throughout the body to form a variety of tissues, including most of the skull bones, portions of the heart, and the majority of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). A central question in developmental biology is how neural crest cells recognize one another after migration, to then develop into this diverse array of tissues. Using both a biochemical and cell biology approach, this project will study the role of protocadherin-1 (Pcdh1), a member of the cadherin family of cell-cell adhesion molecules, during PNS formation in the chicken embryo. The hypothesis is that Pcdh1 functions as a cell-cell adhesion molecule to mediate the sorting and aggregation of neural crest cells as they form the PNS. To test this hypothesis, the ability of Pcdh1 to mediate cell-cell adhesion will be examined using in vitro aggregation and adhesion assays, as well as by isolating and identifying the cellular proteins that interact with Pcdh1 during cell adhesion.
The results from these studies will provide insights into the mechanisms by which the PNS forms in vertebrates, as well as an understanding of how protocadherins contribute to the process by which neural crest cells sort within the developing embryo. These studies will also greatly impact the education and training of students at Montana State University, as both undergraduate and graduate students will be integrally involved in all aspects of this project. This in turn will help train future scientists in the processes, methods and technologies of modern cell and developmental biology.
