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JPEMS/research project
JPEMS Research Project
1- Title of the research project
Study of NFH-GFP intermediate filaments partners through cells culture models
2- Supervisor
Name: Dr F Letournel
Mail: [email protected]
Phone: 33 (0)2 41354735
Fax: 33 (0)2 41354138
3- Research Laboratory
University: Angers
Laboratory name: Laboratoire de Neurobiologie et Transgenèse (UPRES EA3143)
Lab Director: Dr J Eyer
Lab Website: www.univ-angers.fr/labo/lnbt
4- Main research focus of the laboratory
The laboratory is involved in the study of neuronal cytoskeleton through animals and cells
cultures models
5- Research Project
Neurofilaments are the major intermediate filaments of the nervous system. They
encompass three subunits called NFL, NFM and NFH. Their precise functions, albeit
extensively studied, is far for well known. However, they are implicating in the determination
of the axonal diameter (and doing so in the conduction velocity of the action potential) and in
the stability of the axonal compartment and neuronal body. Alterations of the expression of
neurofilaments are involved in several human diseases. We previously developed a fusion
protein between the High Molecular Weight Neurofilament subunit (NFH) and the Green
Fluorescent Protein (GFP). This designed tool is helpful to have an insight, in vivo and in
vitro, in the metabolism of neurofilaments (Letournel, 2006; Kushkuley, 2011). The aim of
the project is to study and compare the expression of this fusion protein in cells that are
devoid (sw13) or not (NIH 3T3) in intermediate filaments. For this purpose students will
perform cell cultures, transfection experiment and immunocytochemistry (using GFP
fluorescence, anti-NFH, anti-vimentine, anti-tubuline and anti-actin antibodies). Images will
be acquired with epifluorescence microscopes but also by confocal microscope (SIAM
platform).