The main goal of this research is to characterize the properties, processing and function of prominent membrane-associated proteins of the nerve growth cone. Some of these proteins, in particular pp46/GAP-43, pp80ac, pp60c-src and 5B4-CAM, may be involved in mechanisms of cytoskeleton-membrane-substratum interactions. These studies will make use of a variety of techniques of protein chemistry, immunochemistry, subcellular fractionation, cell culture and other cell biological methods. The results are expected to lead to new insights into the functions of major growth cone membrane proteins and, perhaps, into the regulation of growth cone motility.
