BIO 326: Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Spring 2006


Instructor: Adam Hall: x3467, Sabin Reed 337, ahall@science.smith.edu
Office Hours: Tu 9-10A, F 4-5P, or by appointment.
Laboratory Teaching Assistant: Erin Watt (ewatt@email.smith.edu)

Overview

This laboratory initially uses tissue culture techniques to study the development of primary neurons in culture (e.g. extension of neurites and growth cones). There will be an introduction and demonstration of microarray techniques for studying differential gene expression in the brain. The rest of the laboratory involves the Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog) oocyte expression system to study molecular structure-function. Oocytes (frog eggs) can be injected with cDNA encoding a variety of ion channels or with brain membranes that become incorporated in the plasma membrane of the oocytes. The second half of the semester includes a lab project using this system to investigate ion channel characteristics or pharmacology. BIO 325 must be taken concurrently. 1 credit.

Lab time: W Th 1-4.00pm, Sabin-Reed 308.

Lab Protocols/Write-up details will be handed out prior to the proposed exercise. All lab exercises will be conducted in pairs of your choosing. (Pairs can be interchangeable up until Spring Recess, but must be maintained throughout the period of the independent projects)


Schedule

Assignments and Exams:

• Paper Presentations (10%): There will be 10 paper (primary literature) presentations (in pairs) throughout the semester. Pairs will select a research article related to the current topic (in bold above), and present it to class for 10-15mins with 5 mins for general discussion. You should include in your presentation an introduction to familiarize the audience with necessary terms, a description of the aims of the research and a concise summary of the results and conclusions. Paper must be selected a week before, discussed with AH in office hours and the abstract posted to the class prior to your presentation
  
  
• Review critiques (15%): 3 review papers/chapters will be read during the course of the semester. A brief critique/short answers on each review will be handed in at each day of class discussion.
  
  
• Mid-term Exam (30%): Will consist of short answer questions based on first 4 topics (Development, Gene expression, Receptor cloning, Ion channel Structure/Function)
  
  
• Paper on a molecular basis of epilepsy (10%): Each student will research primary articles related to a proposed molecular basis for a chosen form of epilepsy. You will then write a short essay (~3-4 pages, 1.5 spaced) on the research articles describing how the work has influenced our understanding of the disease.
  
  
• Final Exam (35%): Comprises of short answer questions on Synaptic Release, Plasticity, Neurological Disorders; and questions based on a research article.

• Extra Credit (5%) : Write a 1 page summary for both neuroscience colloquia (Mar 13 th Dr. Flood, Apr 24 th Dr. Pollock). Highlight the key points and discuss points that were of particular interest to you.

Review papers/chapters (on Blackboard, subject to change and addition):

• Dendritic Arbor Development, Hollis Cline.
• Profiling Brain Transcription, Cao and Dulac.
• Molecular Biology of Memory Storage, Kandel

Currently on Library Reserve or on Blackboard (subject to change):

• Fundamental Neuroscience (Zigmond)
• Introduction to Molecular Neurobiology (Hall)
• Neural stem and neurogenesis articles (Rakic, Gould and Svendsen, Kintner).
• Glycine Receptors, Ashcroft. (In “ Ion Channels and Disease”)

Back to top>