Grant: Operating Grant

Our research aims to understand how neurons acquire their unique morphology during embryogenesis: generally a neuron receives inputs from other cells on its multiple short and highly branched dendrites, and transmits this information long distances via a single, long, thin and unbranched axon. We use as our model the retinal ganglion cell of the eye, whose axon helps form the optic nerve and connects with other neurons in the brain so that the brain can make sense of visual images hitting our retinas. We do this work in the developing frog eye, because experimentation is quick and easy, armed with the knowledge that the general organization of the eye and the molecules involved in forming the optic nerve are conserved between frogs, mammals and humans. By understanding the molecules and general mechanisms involved in the formation of the optic nerve, we hope to shed light on therapeutic strategies towards reforming damaged nerve connections in the adult, both in the visual system and elsewhere in the nervous system.