# Functional and molecular dissection of dopaminergic signaling in spinal locomotor circuit development

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2024 · $431,996

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Abstract
The refinement of gross motor skills, such as locomotion, during development is conserved across vertebrate
species. As an example, locomotor output produced by immature animals is initially coarse and becomes
progressively more refined during development. Although we previously demonstrated, in larval zebrafish, that
neuromodulatory signaling via the dopaminergic system was necessary for the developmental transformation
of locomotor (swimming) activity from an immature to a mature state, the underlying molecular and functional
mechanisms remain elusive. Our goal here is to characterize the functional and molecular mechanisms
underlying the dopaminergic-mediated refinement of spinal locomotor activity using an established vertebrate
model system (larval zebrafish) and a well-validated complement of tools, including electrophysiology,
pharmacology, in vivo functional imaging (calcium and dopamine), and quantitative reverse transcription
polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results of this project will serve as the basis for a future R01
proposal that will examine the causal relationship between the developmental changes in the dopaminergic
system and locomotor refinement. Overall, since the dopaminergic and motor systems are highly conserved
across vertebrates, we expect these findings to translate to other animals, including humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10987363
- **Project number:** 1R21NS135780-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Mark A Masino
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $431,996
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10987363

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10987363, Functional and molecular dissection of dopaminergic signaling in spinal locomotor circuit development (1R21NS135780-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10987363. Licensed CC0.

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