How nerve-to-muscle connections form and mature
Patterning and Formation of the Neuromuscular Junction
This project aims to understand how nerves and muscles make and keep their connection, which matters for people with motor neuron conditions like ALS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11164561 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective, the team uses the neuromuscular junction (the point where a motor nerve meets a muscle) as a model to learn how these connections form and mature. They work mainly in mice with targeted gene deletions to see how muscle signals, receptors, and enzymes such as acetylcholine and acetylcholinesterase shape nerve survival and synapse development. The researchers compare pre- and post-synaptic roles by turning genes off in specific cell types to find which signals come from muscle versus nerve. Their results are meant to give clues that could guide future therapies for neuromuscular diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with motor neuron disorders (for example ALS) or others interested in contributing to research on neuromuscular function would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to nerves or muscles, or those seeking an immediate treatment, are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic laboratory work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal biological targets that lead to new treatments to protect motor neurons or improve nerve-muscle communication in diseases like ALS.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and molecular studies have identified key molecules at the neuromuscular junction, but translating those findings into effective human treatments has been limited so far.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lin, Weichun — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Lin, Weichun
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.