Jason Boone
boone@uoneuro.uoregon.edu

University of Oregon
Institute of Neuroscience
1254 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1254 USA

Advisors:
Dr. Chris Q. Doe, Institute of Neuroscience
Dr. Judith S. Eisen, Institute of Neuroscience

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Research Interests

Evolution of Regulatory Mechanisms Governing Neuroblast Cell Fate

Control over development of multi-potent progenitors is essential for the construction of complex nervous systems. These multi-potent progenitors of the central nervous system (CNS) are often called neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are hypothesized to develop by two general mechanisms: autonomous intrinsic control and non-autonomous extrinsic control. Surprisingly these control mechanisms have been well conserved between distantly related phyla.

Early in the development of the vertebrate CNS, NSCs are thought to undergo symmetric divisions producing equal NSC daughters. Later these cells are thought to switch to asymmetric divisions, producing restricted daughter progeny while maintaining the mother NSC. Symmetric and asymmetric divisions in vertebrates have been show to be regulated by both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms.

In contrary, the invertebrate CNS is constructed from large NSCs or neuroblasts (NBs). After delamination from the neuroectoderm, most NB divisions are predominantly asymmetric and regulated by intrinsic mechanisms. Interestingly, NBs studied to date do not divide symmetrically. Recently, I have begun studying a “NB cluster” in the Drosophila larval brain that appears to undergo symmetric divisions early in larval life. This “NB cluster” later, switches to asymmetric divisions producing more restricted daughter cells or gmcs (ganglion mother cells). How is this early, dynamic phase of expansion coupled with the later production of progeny?

To begin to understand how NBs maintain their identity early and produce widely different progeny later, I plan to examine: 1) the cell biology of the aforementioned “NB cluster” in the Drosophila larval brain, 2) the mechanisms regulating NB expansion, 3) the mechanism regulating “switching” of the axis of division in NBs (symmetric to asymmetric), 4) how these mechanisms relate to vertebrate NSC development (mouse NSCs and zebrafish NSCs).

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Publications

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