This also provides a novel level of regulation for the signal transduction process. A second research area involves understanding the mechanisms that coordinate the rates of macromolecular synthesis and regulate cell growth. Adenylate kinase is key to this regulatory process through its control of AMP and ATP levels in the cell. Site specific mutagenesis of the cloned gene is being used to examine the role of critical amino acids for the structure and dynamic properties of the enzyme. A third research area involves understanding the growth factors and other molecules that influence the development of oligodendrocytes leading to the formation of myelin.
Neurons produce a mitogen for oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and influence their differentiation.
The molecular mechanism of these processes is being studied in co-cultures of cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage and neurons obtained from dorsal root ganglia. Potential applications of this research involves evaluating dietary modifications on cell membranes and the development of drugs to treat disorders dealing with lipid metabolism, demyelination, transmission of viral diseases, and uncontrolled growth of tumor cells. Other methodology of potential interest to industry is the application of fluorescence methods to biological problems.