Title: Inactivation of the retinoblastoma family pathway in neuroprogenitor cells

(Research Advisor: Dr. Terry Van Dyke, Biology Sponsor: Dr. Victoria Bautch, Mentor: Julie McLear)

Sheena Waters

The retinoblastoma family pathway (pRb_f) is an essential cell cycle regulator and has been studied in tumor suppression.  Mice with knockouts for pRb die between embryonic days 13 and 15, exhibiting defects in lens and neural development, which suggests an important role of pRb in neurogenesis.  In order to investigate the role of pRb in neural development, the cell cycle was specifically disrupted in a population of neuroprogenitor cell (NPC) in mice via inactivation of pRb_f (pRB and related proteins p130 and p107) by an oncoprotein (T₁₂₁).   My project elucidates the importance of pRB_f in neurogenesis in mouse embryos and that which persists in the subventricular zone and along the rostral migratory stream of adult mice.  This research contributes to both the neuroscience and cancer research communities and may provide insight into important functions of pRb_f in the nervous system.