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Sufu In Shh Signalling Mediated Myogenesis, Suleyman Abdullah
Sufu In Shh Signalling Mediated Myogenesis, Suleyman Abdullah
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Myogenesis is defined as the formation of skeletal muscle tissue during embryonic development and involves a multitude of cellular signalling pathways. Among these include the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signalling pathway which must be deactivated for differentiation into muscle cells to occur. However, less is known regarding the pathways operation during cell differentiation and whether Suppressor of Fused (SUFU), the protein inhibitor of Shh signalling, plays a role. To address this, mouse C2C12 myoblast cells were utilized as a model and differentiated into muscle cells to identify the presence of SUFU during this time. Experiments in qRT-PCR show a decrease in …
Age Impacts Perineuronal Net Density In The Somatosensory Genital Cortex Independently Of Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Ian D. Warren
Age Impacts Perineuronal Net Density In The Somatosensory Genital Cortex Independently Of Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Ian D. Warren
Masters Theses
A hallmark of pubertal development is the rise in gonadal hormone secretions and the subsequent onset of sexual behavior. The size of the somatosensory genital cortex increases in response to both this rise in gonadal steroid hormones and sexual experience. However, whether specific markers of brain plasticity are similarly impacted by gonadal hormones during puberty is not known. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are specialized extracellular matrix structures that unsheathe neurons as they mature, and their maturation coincides with the closure of sensitive periods across several sensory systems. PNNs in somatosensory cortex, as an example, respond to experience-dependent plasticity. Although experience-depended changes …
Investigating Task-Free Functional Connectivity Patterns In Newborns Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Homa Vahidi
Investigating Task-Free Functional Connectivity Patterns In Newborns Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Homa Vahidi
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Robust functional connectivity in sensorimotor resting-state network (RSN) has been linked to positive neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonates. In the current study, we aimed to map the developmental trajectory of sensorimotor RSN in awake neonates using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We acquired fNIRS resting-state data from 41 healthy newborns (17 females, gestational age range=36+0 to 42+1 weeks) within the first 48 hours after birth. At the group level, we observed robust positive connectivity in numerous channel-pairs across the sensorimotor network, especially in the left hemisphere. Next, we examined the relationship between functional connectivity, gestational age and postnatal age, while controlling for …
The Impacts Of Embryo Development And Asynchronous Hatching On Morphology, Growth, And Development Of Larval Burbot (Lota Lota)., Andrew J. Shapiro
The Impacts Of Embryo Development And Asynchronous Hatching On Morphology, Growth, And Development Of Larval Burbot (Lota Lota)., Andrew J. Shapiro
All NMU Master's Theses
Burbot (Lota lota) are native fish in Lake Superior and typically spawn during the winter under the ice or by migrating up rivers. The early life history of larval burbot, where they dispurse, how fast they develop, and what their survival rates have not been extensively studied. Asynchronous hatching is a strategy used by other cod species as a bet-hedging strategy to ensure that some larvae are hatched in more advantageous conditions in a varying environment. Asynchronous hatching has been documented in burbot, but the extent of the period and the impacts that asynchrony has on the development of …
Understanding The Environmental And Genetic Influence On Fluctuating Asymmetry And Developmental Instability In Primates, Ashly N. Romero
Understanding The Environmental And Genetic Influence On Fluctuating Asymmetry And Developmental Instability In Primates, Ashly N. Romero
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation explored the impact of environmental factors on the development and perpetuation of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and sought to understand the role evolution may play in the FA exhibited in two primate populations: the free-ranging Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and the Southwest National Primate Research Center olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis). Demographic, ontogenetic, secular, external, and genetic factors were examined. Specifically, this dissertation investigated FA over all ontogenetic stages, across decades, between sexes, in association with ecological catastrophes, and with tooth pathology to try and tease apart factors that may influence FA and developmental instability. This dissertation …
Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis) Fur Morphology, Thermal Function, And Buoyancy Across Ontogeny, Kate Riordan
Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris Nereis) Fur Morphology, Thermal Function, And Buoyancy Across Ontogeny, Kate Riordan
Master's Theses
Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have the densest fur of any animal, and the hairs function to trap a layer of air that is used for insulation. When a sea otter is born, it has a natal pelage (baby fur), and sea otters eventually molt that fur and replace it with a pelt resembling the adult fur. Sea otter fur is composed of 3 types of hairs: underhairs, intermediate hairs, and guard hairs. Sea otters are more susceptible to the negative effects of oiling from oil spills compared to other marine mammal species because they solely rely on fur …
Genetic Regulation Of Müllerian Duct Regression, Malcolm Moses
Genetic Regulation Of Müllerian Duct Regression, Malcolm Moses
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Mammals, including humans, develop progenitor tissues for both male and female reproductive tract organs before they fully differentiate into a male or female tract. The progenitor tissue for the male reproductive tract is known as the Wolffian duct (WD), and the progenitor tissue for the female reproductive tract is the Müllerian duct (MD). The WD further differentiates into the vas deferens, epididymis, and seminal vesicle, while the MD differentiates into the oviduct, uterus and upper vagina. An essential step in sex differentiation for males is the regression of the MD. This regression initiates with anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh) transcription …
The Genomics Of Autism-Related Genes Il1rapl1 And Il1rapl2: Insights Into Their Cortical Distribution, Cell-Type Specificity, And Developmental Trajectories, Jacob Weaver
MUSC Theses and Dissertations
Neuropsychiatric disorders have a significant impact on modern society. These disorders affect a large percentage of the population: schizophrenia has a world-wide prevalence of 1% and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affects 1 in 59 school-aged children in the US. There is substantial evidence that most neuropsychiatric disorders have a genetic component. Thus, with the advent of high throughput sequencing much effort has gone into identifying genetic variants associated with these disorders. The emerging picture from these studies is a complex one where hundreds of genes with small effects interact with a varied landscape of common variants to result in disease. …
Effects Of Development On Hpa Function Following Pubertal Stress, Brittany D. Elliott
Effects Of Development On Hpa Function Following Pubertal Stress, Brittany D. Elliott
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
For women, two of the greatest risk factors for affective disorders are adversity experienced during puberty and later becoming pregnant. We have created a translationally relevant mouse model where we address these complex risk factors. Previously, we discovered that pregnant mice (dams) that experienced chronic variable stress (CVS) during puberty display a blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response when exposed to an acute stressor. Interestingly, this alteration only first becomes apparent during pregnancy, which is a sensitive period for these effects due to normative neuroendocrine changes. Further investigation of the mechanisms underlying this dysfunction revealed altered gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus …
Addition Of Apple Pomace To Feeding Substrate On Growth, Development, And Survival Rates Of Yellow Mealworms (Tenebrio Molitor) And Characterization Of Their Proteins Extracted By A Ph-Shift Process, Michelle Duvall
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The weight changes, survival/mortality rates, and proximate compositions of Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm) larvae whose diets were supplemented with apple pomace were analyzed after a 4-week feeding study to examine the nutritional quality of the insects for use as a future potential food source. Going forward, the terms “mealworm(s)”, "yellow mealworm(s)”, “T. molitor” will be used interchangeably and will always refer to the same species. The mealworm larvae were randomly divided into two groups: in addition to standard worm chow, one group was given 15 g/week of non-nutritive water-storing polymer crystals and the other was given apple pomace …
The Impact Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls On The Development Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Megan Moma
The Impact Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls On The Development Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Megan Moma
WWU Graduate School Collection
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 highly stable molecules that were used extensively in industry. Although their commercial use ceased in 1979, they are still present in many aquatic ecosystems due to improper disposal, oceanic currents, atmospheric deposition, and hydrophobic nature. PCBs pose a significant and ongoing threat to the development and sustainability of aquatic organisms. Our hypothesis is that PCB concentration will significantly affect development. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to a standard PCB mixture (Aroclor 1254) for the first 5 days post fertilization, as there is a gap in knowledge during this important developmental …
Incorporating A Developmental Perspective Into Gene Identification Models For Alcohol Use Behaviors, Nathaniel S. Thomas
Incorporating A Developmental Perspective Into Gene Identification Models For Alcohol Use Behaviors, Nathaniel S. Thomas
Theses and Dissertations
Frequent alcohol use can lead to alcohol use disorder, which accounts for three million deaths and over 133 million life years lost to disability and death worldwide per year. Alcohol use behaviors unfold across development, beginning with initiation of drinking and progressing through various escalating stages of use. Alcohol use behaviors are also under genetic influence. Genome-wide association represents the state-of-the-science statistical methodology for identifying genes associated with alcohol use outcomes. However, contemporary genome-wide association study (GWAS) methods typically do not account for variability in genetic effects throughout development. In this project, I applied novel multivariate genomic methods to combine …