# INTERMEDIATE FILAMENTS IN NEURAL DEVELOPMENT

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI · 1993 · $152,366

## Abstract

The long-term objective of the work proposed here is to understand the
role of intermediate filaments (IF) in neural development.  IF are
thought to be structurally important in the development and maintenance
of cell morphology. Studies have shown that the expression of proteins
that compose IF changes as cells differentiate.  This data indicates
that IF may be involved in functions specific to the differentiated
state of cells or to the process of differentiation.  The goals
pertinent to the work described in this application are to study the
importance of one particular IF protein the 57kD neural IF protein
(NIFP) to differentiation in vivo and in vitro.

The distribution of the 57kD NIFP will be examined during development of
the rat in the embryonic and early postnatal period.  The relationship
of this protein to the ontogeny and differentiation of neurons will be
examined in tissue sections using antibodies to the 57kD NIFP as probes.
To determine the role of the 57kD NIFP in processes involved in
differentiation, the effects of a disrupted IF network on nerve growth
factor-induced differentiation in the neuron-like cell line PC12 will be
determined.  IF disruption will be accomplished via gene transfer of
deletion mutants of the 57kD NIFP cDNA.

The study of this neural IF protein is expected to yield information on
neural development and the cellular components involved.  These findings
will have obvious relevance to the development of the normal embryo but
also should add to our knowledge of the neuronal intermediate filaments.
Analyses of the role of these structures in normal neuronal function
should lead to an improved understanding of the processes leading to
abnormal accumulations of IF.  These accumulations are prominent
pathologic findings in many important degenerative neurologic diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2199691
- **Project number:** 5R01HD025752-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DZ4YCZ3QSPR5
- **Principal Investigator:** LINDA M PARYSEK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $152,366
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-04-01 → 1995-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2199691

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2199691, INTERMEDIATE FILAMENTS IN NEURAL DEVELOPMENT (5R01HD025752-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2199691. Licensed CC0.

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