| Project/Area Number |
13671831
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Ophthalmology
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| Research Institution | Molecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science |
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Principal Investigator |
YASUHARA Osamu Molecular Neuroscience Research Center Shiga University of Medical Science Associate Professor, 分子神経科学研究センター, 助教授 (80239772)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2002
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2002)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
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| Keywords | alternative splicing / choline acethyltransferase / cholinergic neurons / retinal ganglion cells / antisense oligonucreotide / immunohistochemistry / parasympathetic nervous system / RT-PCR / 逆行性トレーシング法 |
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| Research Abstract |
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Cholinergic neurons have been demonstrated by immunohistochemistry using antibodies to choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), Although most of such antibodies can clearly stain central cholinergic neurons, they generally fail to demonstrate peripheral cholinergic neurons. We have recently found that peripheral cholinergic cells preferentially express an alternative splice variant of ChAT mRNA (pChAT mRNA). In the present research project we have re-evaluated both the central and peripheral cholinergic nervous system using the antibody to pChAT. The pChAT antibody stained peripheral parasympathetic neurons. In addition, certain populations of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems, which have never been regarded as a part of the cholinergic system, have been recognized to be pChAT-positive. They include primary sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia, retinal ganglion cells, and neurons in the tuberomammillary hypothalamic nucleus. We have also confirmed the expression of pChAT mRNA in such areas. The discovery of pChAT should facilitate investigations on the peripheral as well as central, cholinergic systems.
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