During the developmental process nerve cells, like other cells in the mammalian system, ultimately die. Embryonic nerve cells which are induced to undergo developmental death, express a gene which has shown to regulate developmental neuronal death in the invertebrate, c. elegans. The cell death gene has been identified as ced4. This research project will examine the mechanisms that regulate expressions of the cell death gene in the nervous system. n Dr. Weill will extend the studies by cloning the mammalian homolog for ced4, which will enable Dr. Weill to identify the proteins associated with neuronal death. Molecular techniques will be utilized to clone for the mouse ced4 gene. Results from this study will provide a better understanding of how cell death is regulated, and the role the cell death gene performs in normal and abnormal development and tissue function.
