Synaptic Plasticity at the Mammalian Neuromuscular Junction
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Steven C. McLoon', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
During normal postnatal development, mammalian skeletal                 muscles undergo an orderly process of synapse elimination,                      whereby each muscle fiber begins in a state of polyinnervation                  but eventually loses all except one of its inputs.  Dr. Van Essen               will study several aspects of synapse elimination and plasticity                of connections in the soleus muscle of the rabbit.                                                                                                                      In one set of projects, Dr. Van Essen and his colleagues                will examine the role of nerve and muscle activity in this                      process of synapse elimination.  Previous studies have shown that               increased activity accelerates the overall rate of synapse                      elimination, while differential activity among competing synapses               confers an advantage to the less active inputs.  Dr. Van Essen is               interested in clarifying the mechanisms whereby activity exerts                 these dual influences and also in ascertaining whether natural                  activity patterns contribute to sculpting of the distribution of                motor unit sizes in the adult.  Another set of projects is aimed                at understanding the basis of fiber-type specificity, whereby                   fast- and slow-contracting muscle fibers are selectively                        innervated by fast and slow motor neurons.                                                                                                                              Dr. Van Essen has made a number of important contributions              to this field over the past ten years.  The results of these new                studies will certainly add fundamental information about the                    important developmental phenomenon of synapse elimination.
{'FirstName': 'David', 'LastName': 'Van Essen', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'C', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'David C Van Essen', 'EmailAddress': 'vanessen@v1.wustl.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000443100', 'StartDate': '09/01/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'California Institute of Technology', 'CityName': 'PASADENA', 'ZipCode': '911250001', 'PhoneNumber': '6263956219', 'StreetAddress': '1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'California', 'StateCode': 'CA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '28', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'CA28', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'U2JMKHNS5TG4', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
{'Code': '1190', 'Text': 'DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1987&All=true', 'xml': '8708342.xml'}