Characterisation Of Neuregulin-2 Function In The Nervous System.

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/254650

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

The Neuregulins (NRG's) are a family of four structurally related growth factors expressed in the developing and adult brain. NRG-1 is essential for life and has been implicated in the development and maintenance of both neurons and glial cells, as well as being essential for normal heart formation. NRG-2 was identified by us and others as being closely related to NRG-1 and, like NRG-1, it is also expressed predominantly in neuronal populations of the brain. One striking feature of NRG-2 expression in the adult brain is its localisation to regions associated with neurogenesis (renewal of neurons from stem cell precursors). Outside the nervous system Neuregulin-2 can stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells. However, little is known about the activity of Neuregulin-2 in the brain. This grant proposal aims to study the biological functions of Neuregulin-2 in the developing and adult central nervous system. The experimental design is based on characterisation of mice that do not contain the Neuregulin-2 gene. We will also look specifically at the action of Neuregulin-2 on discrete populations of neuronal cells, grown in tissue culture. We expect that these studies will provide valuable insight into the role of NRG-2 in the brain and that they will be the basis for defining the mechanisms by which NRG-2 activity differs to that of the NRG family members. By studying factors that are involved in the development of the nervous system it is hoped that valuable insights will be made regarding repair and regeneration in the adult brain.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2003

End Date: 01-01-2005

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $183,250.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical parasitology

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

cerebellar disorders | cerebellum | growth factor | growth factors | knockout mice | nervous system development | neural development | neuregulin

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