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Genetic And Chemical Dissection Of Bloodbrain Barrier Development In Zebrafish, Robyn Anne Umans
Genetic And Chemical Dissection Of Bloodbrain Barrier Development In Zebrafish, Robyn Anne Umans
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) maintains a homeostatic environment as well as prohibits the entrance of xenobiotics into the brain. Because of these qualities, drug delivery is a fundamental challenge for the treatment of many diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Along with limiting the access of therapeutics into the brain, the BBB is also impaired in CNS pathologies. Understanding the molecular cues that are essential for healthy BBB development and integrity may reveal targets for drug delivery leading to decreased progression or possible treatment of many detrimental CNS diseases. While the central features of the BBB have been accepted, …
Pancreatic Beta Cell Plasticity And Involvement Of Insulin-Expressing Progenitor Cells, Christine A. Beamish
Pancreatic Beta Cell Plasticity And Involvement Of Insulin-Expressing Progenitor Cells, Christine A. Beamish
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Islet transplants have been successfully used as treatment for diabetes, but are limited by shortages of cadaveric insulin-producing β-cells. An alternate source may be the dedifferentiation, expansion, and subsequent redifferentiation of pancreatic islets or β-cells using in vitro techniques prior to transplant. Based on protocols which described the dedifferentiation of human islets to ductal-like cells, we hypothesized that neonatal mouse islets could be similarly dedifferentiated in vitro. Dedifferentiation techniques produced significant duct-like cells, but redifferentiation to insulin-expressing cells was limited. RIPCre;Z/AP+/+ mice were consequently utilized to lineage trace β-cell fate during culture by a human placental alkaline phosphatase (HPAP) reporter. …