Worms smell and taste just like humans
Projektbeskrivning:
We are using a model, the worm C. elegans, to study nervous system development, in particular as it relates to humans. In a complex environment, one needs to sense its cues (e.g. by smelling and tasting), compute and integrate that information and then react to it appropriately. One needs a highly diversified nervous system that is able to perform all these tasks: sensory neurons (input), higher order brain structures (computation) and motorneurons (output) that control muscle action. "Nice smell? Let's go there!" In this regard worms and humans are very much alike. They use a very similar overall arrangement of neurons to react to sensory information. Just like humans, worms love the buttery smell of cinema popcorn. We ask: How does a precursor neuron become a sensory neuron with specialized structures needed for the acquisition of sensory information? Which molecules within neurons are needed to sense information from the environment? Do the worm proteins have human equivalents?
We are using a model, the worm C. elegans, to study nervous system development, in particular as it relates to humans. In a complex environment, one needs to sense its cues (e.g. by smelling and tasting), compute and integrate that information and then react to it appropriately. One needs a highly diversified nervous system that is able to perform all these tasks: sensory neurons (input), higher order brain structures (computation) and motorneurons (output) that control muscle action. "Nice smell? Let's go there!" In this regard worms and humans are very much alike. They use a very similar overall arrangement of neurons to react to sensory information. Just like humans, worms love the buttery smell of cinema popcorn. We ask: How does a precursor neuron become a sensory neuron with specialized structures needed for the acquisition of sensory information? Which molecules within neurons are needed to sense information from the environment? Do the worm proteins have human equivalents?
Projektet kan sökas:
Året om, med början tidigt 2008
Andra projekt med samma nyckelord:
development
Working with zebrafish as a vertebrate model organism
development
Working with zebrafish as a vertebrate model organism
Information om handledaren:
Peter Swoboda är Högskolelektor vid Södertörns högskola
Svarar på frågor inom: biologi (vit), cellbiologi, genetik, molekylärbiologi
Kort presentation: Peter Swoboda is an Assistant Professor and Research Group Leader both at SH and at the Karolinska Institute. The techniques and methods used in this project include genetics and genomics, molecular and cell biology.
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