The overall long term objective of these studies is to provide a better understanding of how different types of retinal neurons are generated during retinal development. Over ten years ago, we began studies to determine how the diversity of retinal cell types comes about during the process of histogenesis. We used retina as a model system to develop principles for the generation of neuronal diversity that could apply to the central nervous system in general. Over the past ten years, our studies and those of other have shown that individual cell fates arise from an interplay between the cellular microenvironment and the intrinsic transcriptional regulators expressed in a cell. While we have derived this principle from studies of various retinal cell types, it is nowhere better demonstrated than in the development of the cone photoreceptors, and in this application we have decided to focus our efforts to the understanding of how diversity is generated within this specific cell class. Although these studies address a fundamental feature of developmental neurobiology, since they will result in a better characterization of gene expression in cone photoreceptors, they will also provide information that may prove useful for the treatment of degenerative retinal disorders, such as macular degeneration. In addition to potentially identifying new genes important for cone photoreceptor biology, a better understanding of the factors that direct retinal cells to specific fates will also be critical in developing rational therapies for repair of the retina using retinal stem cells.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS028308-15
Application #
6663741
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SSS-Q (01))
Program Officer
Chiu, Arlene Y
Project Start
1989-09-01
Project End
2006-08-31
Budget Start
2003-09-01
Budget End
2004-08-31
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$374,946
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
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Liu, Hong; Etter, Paige; Hayes, Susan et al. (2008) NeuroD1 regulates expression of thyroid hormone receptor 2 and cone opsins in the developing mouse retina. J Neurosci 28:749-56
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Nelson, Branden R; Gumuscu, Burak; Hartman, Byron H et al. (2006) Notch activity is downregulated just prior to retinal ganglion cell differentiation. Dev Neurosci 28:128-41
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Roberts, Melanie R; Srinivas, Maya; Forrest, Douglas et al. (2006) Making the gradient: thyroid hormone regulates cone opsin expression in the developing mouse retina. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:6218-23
McCabe, Kathryn Leigh; McGuire, Chris; Reh, Thomas A (2006) Pea3 expression is regulated by FGF signaling in developing retina. Dev Dyn 235:327-35
Roberts, Melanie R; Hendrickson, Anita; McGuire, Christopher R et al. (2005) Retinoid X receptor (gamma) is necessary to establish the S-opsin gradient in cone photoreceptors of the developing mouse retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 46:2897-904
Elias, Maria C; Tozer, Kathleen R; Silber, John R et al. (2005) TWIST is expressed in human gliomas and promotes invasion. Neoplasia 7:824-37

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