Ryan's grant, entitled 鈥淐ellular and molecular mechanisms of glial patterning and morphogenesis鈥, will combine confocal time-lapse imaging, transcriptomics, cell specific transgenes and CRISPR-based mutagenesis in the zebrafish. Glial cells provide the nervous system with critical trophic, physiological and homeostatic support.
To carry out these supportive roles, glial cells must be properly positioned and shaped in the mature nervous system. By pairing confocal time-lapse imaging and cell specific reporter lines in the zebrafish retina he will visualise glial cell dynamics throughout development in real time. The goal of this work is to characterise the cellular interactions and uncover the molecular pathways regulating glial cell morphogenesis.