Quick Look

The neuregulins (NRGs) are a family of growth and differentiation factors with a wide range of functions in the nervous system. How forms of the NRG1 gene achieve their diverse biological effects is partially through??alternatively spliced forms targeted to specific regions of the nervous system. While soluble forms of NRG1 are targeted to neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) at specific developmental stages and have profound effects on acetylcholine receptor (AChR) expression in vitro, their in vivo roles are less clear. Neuromuscular junctions are composed of a presynaptic nerve axonal terminal, a postsynaptic muscle cell, and perisynaptic Schwann cells. Another alternatively spliced form of NRG1 that remains
membrane-anchored has been shown to be critical for myelinating Schwann cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation, suggesting that it might play a similar role in perisynaptic Schwann cell development. I will test the hypothesis that these two NRG1 forms promote NMJ development and/or maintenance in embryonic chickens through effects on both muscle and perisynaptic Schwann cells. This will be done by gain and loss of function studies by pharmacological and genetic approaches. If NRG1 proves to be important for normal NMJ development and/or maintenance, then NRG1 has the advantage of being the potential treatment for diseases of the nervous system that affect the neuromuscular interface such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Research Interests
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey A. Loeb
Neuregulin/neurotrophic factors feedback loop in motor neuron development.