Award details

Signalling events that regulate Wallerian degeneration

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000C228
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Michael Philip Coleman
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Simon Cook
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	213,920
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/03/2007
End date	31/03/2011
Duration	49 months

Abstract

Axons are the long fibres that connect one nerve cell with another and carry electrical communication between them. If these fibres degenerate, nervous function ceases resulting in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, motor neuron disease and multiple sclerosis. In many nervous disorders, the degeneration of the fibres precedes death of the cell from which they arise, but in the central nervous system the fibres cannot regenerate even if the cell survives. Thus, it is essential to understand and eventually intervene in axon degeneration mechanisms. We have identified a gene that can delay axon degeneration tenfold in mice, rats and flies, and have now found a chemical treatment that blocks its action. The aim of this project is to understand the basis of this block, and to shed light on how one part of a nerve cell signals to other parts that damage has taken place.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	Ageing, Neuroscience and Behaviour
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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