This program seeks basic information concerning relations between the energy-yeilding reactions of glucose metabolism and the functional properties of neurons. The approach is to study metabolism and function in the relatively simple systems that are readily available in peripheral sympathetic and sensory ganglia of mammals and other vertebrates. The proposed investigations, which are to be conducted on embryonic ganglia from chicken embryos, include studies of (a) changes in glucose metabolism during early development in sympathetic and dorsal root ganglia, (b) the uptake and oxidation of other possible substrates in the presence of glucose, and (c) effects of changes in volume and composition of the medium on glucose metabolism. Excised ganglia will be incubated in bicarbonate-buffered media containing glucose labeled at various positions while continuously measuring labeled CO2 output. At the end of incubation constituents of the tissue and products in the bathing medium will be resolved chromatographically and their contents of labeled carbon will be measured. These studies in the discipline of neurochemistry will contribute to basic knowledge about glucose metabolism and embryological development in vertebrate neural tissues, including the sympathetic nervous system, which is important in cardiovascular control. They may thus be relevant to understanding these processes in various disease states, such as abnormal development, neurological effects of altered glucose supply, and circulatory deficiencies.
