This research is designed to probe the mechanism of slow axonal transport, a phenomenon which is basic for proper functioning of nerve cells. Dr. Weisenberg has discovered a process, called gelation-contraction, which can be observed isolated, in vitro, and which, therefore, is amenable to experimental manipulation. Dr. Weisenberg suggests that gelation-contraction may be a valid model for slow axonal transport and further proposes to test the validity of this hypothesis in a series of experiments designed to see whether the proteins associated with slow axonal transport behave as a tightly bound complex. The results of these experiments should allow him to differentiate between different models for slow axonal transport.
