Gene expression responses of mouse neural cells to heparin-binding growth factors

The general area of research interests of my lab is the glycobiology of HSPGs in cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions and growth factor signalling. Heparan sulfate binding proteins in neural development and differentiation. We used the Glyco-gene Chips to study the gene expression responses of mouse neural cells to heparin-binding growth factors. The experimental systems studied is in vivo (developing mouse brain). The goal is to examine the global responses of neural cells to particular growth factors during differentiation in terms of effects on HS biosynthetic enzymes and proteoglycan core proteins, as well as growth factors and their receptors. Analysis of A) P1 mouse brain wild type for Heparan sulfate 2-O sulfotransferase (HS2ST) and B) heterozygous for Heparan sulfate 2-O sulfotransferase (HS2ST) loss of function mutation.