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Fellow: Viraj Mehta
Mentor: Michael Kotlikoff
Contact Information: E-mail: mik7@cornell.edu - Phone: 607-253-3771
Sponsor: American Heart Association
Grant Number: N/A
Title: An Improved Transgenic Approach for Functional Genomic Studies and for Generation of Animal Models for Human Cardiovascular Disease
Annual Direct Cost: $5,000
Project Period: 05/01/07-10/05/07
Abstract description (provided by applicant): To date, there is no effective in-vivo signaling system that allows the study of molecular mechanisms of the development and differentiation of smooth muscle cells. Alpha-Actin is a cytoskeletal protein in eukaryotic cells that is preferentially expressed in smooth muscle cells (SMC), including vascular smooth muscle. Alpha-Actin, encoded by the Acta2 gene, is in fact the first SMC differentiation marker to appear during the development and differentiation of vascular SMC (Owens,GK). By using this promoter to express genes of interest, we should be able to visualize and study the development of vascular SMC at its earliest possible stages.
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