Biology Project Abstract
CALCIUM BINDING PROTEINS IN MOUSE RESPIRATORY NEURONS
Presenter:
Anupama Topgi, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; ganesh@imsa.edu
Mentors:
Dr. Donald R. McCrimmon, Department of Neurophysiology, Northwestern University Medical School, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Dr. George F. Alheid, Department of Neurophysiology, Northwestern University Medical School, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Abstract:
The ability to anatomically correlate the presence of particular neurochemical markers within functionally identifiable neuronal cell groups will allow future research to apply molecular biochemistry, and biophysical models to understand the basis for the intrinsic firing properties of these neurons with the ultimate goal of developing system-wide models neuronal control systems. The distribution of proteins found in the respiratory control system in the ventrolateral medulla was examined. Parvalbumin, calretinin and calbindin, known as calcium-binding proteins (CBPs) found in neurons, are rarely co-localized and demonstrate an uneven distribution in the central nervous system. This project examined the differential expression of CBPs in subsets of respiratory neurons in the ventrolateral medulla (i.e. the ventral respiratory group; VRG) of mice. We have immuno-stained mouse parasagittal brain sections for parvalbumin, calretinin and calbindin and compared their rostro-caudal topography with the expected topography of VRG compartments.