This CORE will continue to have as its general aim to facilitate and ensure the accomplishment of the individual projects' Specific Aims. In addition, the Core will provide centralized facilities at Washington University for staining neurons, ultrastructural analyses, and distribution of experimental animals that are used in more than one project.. As such, the CORE will: 1) make technical expertise available to all of the component projects, 2) make optimum use of individual experimental animals, 3) ensure that the data obtained from the different laboratories are comparable and analyzed in a like manner so as to circumvent common pitfalls associated with the correlation of findings obtained by independent observers and different analytic techniques, 4) administer the various projects, and 5) provide means for experimental and conceptual integration and external review. To accomplish these Specific Aims, this CORE will carry out 5 different functions. These are: 1. A single facility in St. Louis for staining the long-range projections and dendrites of somatosensory neurons in various experimental preparations- The CORE will operate a facility in St. Louis that will be used by Project #s1, 2, 4, and 5 to stain the processes of single neurons at various levels of somatosensory neuraxis. 2. A single electron microscopy facility in St. Louis for tissue processing and documentation of ultrastructure- Two projects in St. Louis (#s 1 and 4) require electron microscopy. We proposed to continue with Mr. Joseph DeMaro as the CORE EM technician and associated in place equipment to provide an avenue for study of central ultrastructural development under conditions of neurotrophin augmentation and stem cell transplantation. 3. Timely transmission of data and ideas between the different laboratories-The projects comprising this proposal are closely interrelated technically and conceptually. Scheduled bimonthly meetings will ensure that necessary information, materials and critical reviews are transmitted between laboratories on a regular basis. 4. Continual external review of progress and results-This aim will continue to be met by establishing new and appropriate internal and external advisory groups that will meet annually to evaluate our work. Experts in the field of neuronal development will also be invited to give presentations and visit less formally with project investigators. 5. Administration All requisite and personnel are currently functioning without our Program Project.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 178 publications
