神經元和神經膠質細胞是構成人類大腦的主要細胞類型。不同神經元之間以及神經元和神經膠質之間的緊密交流對於控制人類大腦的發育、維持和活動至關重要。這些溝通的失能往往會導致各式各樣嚴重的神經發育性、精神性和神經退化性疾病,其中大多數疾病仍在日漸積累當中,但卻無法治愈。因此,本實驗室旨在了解大腦如何正常運作以及神經系統疾病是如何被發展出來的,從而期許能發展出可行性高的治療對策。
實驗室目前研究方向如下:
1)快速神經傳遞中突觸小泡再循環的分子機制。
2)神經元與膠質細胞緊密交流在人類健康和疾病中的重要性。
3)細胞內聚醣和聚醣結合蛋白在神經退化性疾病中的作用。
為此,本研究團隊主要使用果蠅作為強力的遺傳模式生物系統,也結合大鼠培養神經元、人類神經元細胞株、電生理學、CRISPR基因編輯、RNAi技術、生物化學、共聚焦顯微鏡、超高解析度顯微鏡、透射式電子顯微鏡、體外重組系統和冷凍電顯。
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