The purpose of this project is to gain a more complete understanding of adult neurogenesis by examining the adult neural stem cell niche in the cricket. The cricket is an excellent model for the study of adult neurogenesis because it shares many features of adult neurogenesis with mammals, but has a much simpler nervous system. Additionally, and maybe most importantly the cricket continues to produce new neurons throughout their entire life. We are using RNA interference to disrupt junctional communication and examining how this impacts adult neurogenesis and the ultrastructure of the niche.
