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Theses/Dissertations

1995

Digitized Theses

Animal Physiology

Articles 1 - 9 of 9

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The Function Of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum In The Aged Rat Heart, Ming Tao Jiang Jan 1995

The Function Of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum In The Aged Rat Heart, Ming Tao Jiang

Digitized Theses

The purpose of this project was to study the effect of aging on the regulation of Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} by cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and its potential contribution to the age-related alterations in myocardial contractile performance in Fischer 344 rats.;In cardiac membranes enriched in SR (MSR) and its light (LSR) and heavy (HSR) subfractions fractionated by a sucrose density gradient, the rate of ATP-supported and oxalate-facilitated Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} uptake was significantly reduced (24-50%) in the aged (26-30 months old) compared with that of the adult rats (6-8 months old). With aging, the Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar}-stimulated phosphoenzyme of the Ca{dollar}\sp{lcub}2+{rcub}{dollar} pumps was reduced in MSR, LSR …


The Interaction Of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (Tsh), Insulin-Like Growth Factors (Igfs), And Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (Igfpbs) In The Regulation Of The Synthesis And Secretion Of Thyroid Hormones By Cultured Sheep Thyroid Cells, Jia Fang Wang Jan 1995

The Interaction Of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (Tsh), Insulin-Like Growth Factors (Igfs), And Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (Igfpbs) In The Regulation Of The Synthesis And Secretion Of Thyroid Hormones By Cultured Sheep Thyroid Cells, Jia Fang Wang

Digitized Theses

Thyroid growth and function are regulated by TSH in synergy with other hormones, growth factors, and neurotransmitters. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), which have insulin-like effects on metabolism and regulate cell growth and function, are synthesized and secreted by thyroid cells. IGFs are associated with their specific binding proteins (IGFBPs), which not only carry and store IGFs in body fluids but also modulate the biological function of IGFs. Previous studies found that both IGFs and IGFBPs participated in the regulation of the growth of thyroid cells.;This study has further examined the biological function of IGFs and IGFBPs in the regulation of …


Postsynaptic Cholinergic Control Of Cardiac Function In Aging, Na Su Jan 1995

Postsynaptic Cholinergic Control Of Cardiac Function In Aging, Na Su

Digitized Theses

The present study using isolated constant flow-perfused heart from adult (8 month-old) and aged (26 month-old) Fischer 344 rats for the first time demonstrated a striking enhancement of the negative chronotropic, inotropic and coronary vasoconstriction responses of the aging heart to postsynaptic cholinergic stimulation.;The approaches used and the results demonstrated were the following. (i) Acetylcholinesterase activity measured by the method of Ellman et al (1961) declined significantly in the atria and ventricles of the aged compared to adult rats. (ii) No age-related difference was seen in muscarinic receptor number in the atria and ventricles as assessed by {dollar}\lbrack\sp3\rm H\rbrack QNB{dollar} …


Neurotransmission Of Visceral Information In The Parabrachial Nucleus Of The Rat, Tarek Saleh Jan 1995

Neurotransmission Of Visceral Information In The Parabrachial Nucleus Of The Rat, Tarek Saleh

Digitized Theses

The parabrachial nucleus (PB) has been shown to be a major relay site for visceral afferents ascending through the ventrobasal thalamus and terminating in the insular cortex. The purpose of these investigations was to determine the neurotransmitter mechanisms in the PB involved in relaying visceral sensory information to the thalamus in the rat. Using electrophysiological techniques in the cloral hydrate anesthetised male Wistar rat, our results show that the visceral pathway from the PB to the thalamus appears to use two neuronal systems, one mediating the relay of specific visceral information via glutamatergic N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the PB, …


Role Of Protein Kinase C In Mediating The Effects Of Physiological And Pathophysiological Interventions In The Heart, Christopher Andrew Ward Jan 1995

Role Of Protein Kinase C In Mediating The Effects Of Physiological And Pathophysiological Interventions In The Heart, Christopher Andrew Ward

Digitized Theses

Protein kinase C has been implicated as a mediator of myocardial function following both physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to examine the functional effects of PKC in mediating phorbol esters as well as receptor-induced effects in myocardial tissues. Additionally, the possible role of PKC in mediating cardiac pathophysiology was assessed under conditions which mimicked aspects of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion. The effects of phorbol esters on cardiac function were assessed in isolated perfused guinea pig hearts. The effects of phorbol esters, acidosis/realkalinization and hydrogen peroxide were assessed in isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes to determine PKC-dependent …


The Putative Role Of Fatty Acids In The Activation Of Trehalose Synthesis In The Fat Body Of The Cockroach Periplaneta Americana L, Irshad Ali Jan 1995

The Putative Role Of Fatty Acids In The Activation Of Trehalose Synthesis In The Fat Body Of The Cockroach Periplaneta Americana L, Irshad Ali

Digitized Theses

Hypertrehalosemic hormones produced by the corpus cardiacum increase the concentration of several fatty acids in cockroach fat body trophocytes. The phospholipase A{dollar}\sb2{dollar} (PLA{dollar}\sb2){dollar} activator melittin has a similar effect. The fatty acids include palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid. The hormone mediated release of these fatty acids is blocked by the PLA{dollar}\sb2{dollar} inhibitors mepacrine and {dollar}\rho{dollar}-bromophenacyl bromide. These observations suggest that hormonal release of fatty acids, may be due to the activation of PLA{dollar}\sb2.{dollar};The increase in non-esterified fatty acids appears to be linked to the increase in trehalose efflux since sugar efflux is stimulated by stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic …


Mechanisms Of Autonomic Control By The Insular Cortex In The Rat, Kenneth Scott Butcher Jan 1995

Mechanisms Of Autonomic Control By The Insular Cortex In The Rat, Kenneth Scott Butcher

Digitized Theses

The insular cortex (IC) has been proposed to act as visceral sensory and autonomic cortex. The mechanism of control by the IC, however, is not clear. The nature of insular cortical function in hypertension is also unknown.;Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in Wistar rats has been shown to cause cortical infarction, including the IC, resulting in increases in sympathetic nerve discharge (SND). MCAO in the urethane anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) resulted in decreases in arterial pressure (AP) and SND.;To determine if the autonomic effects of MCAO in the SHR and Wistar rat are due to insular damage, a lesion …


Epidermal Growth Factor Regulation Of Porcine Oocyte Maturation And Cumulus Cell Expansion In Vitro, Balwant Singh Jan 1995

Epidermal Growth Factor Regulation Of Porcine Oocyte Maturation And Cumulus Cell Expansion In Vitro, Balwant Singh

Digitized Theses

The overall objective of this study was to investigate the role in vitro of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the regulation of both nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of the porcine oocyte, and in the expansion of cumulus cells.;Studies aimed at the induction of oocyte maturation and cumulus expansion revealed that EGF is a potent stimulant of the resumption of meiosis in the oocyte and that the addition of FSH, but not LH, to EGF further enhances its effect on germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Both estradiol-17{dollar}\beta{dollar} (E{dollar}\sb2{dollar}) and androstenedione (A{dollar}\sb4{dollar}) inhibited FSH-stimulated GVBD, but had no effect on EGF-stimulated GVBD, suggesting …


Feedback Control Mechanisms Regulating Breathing In Humans, Croix Claudette St Jan 1995

Feedback Control Mechanisms Regulating Breathing In Humans, Croix Claudette St

Digitized Theses

The respiratory system regulates alveolar ventilation (V{dollar}\sb{lcub}\rm A{rcub}{dollar}) almost exactly to the demands of the body so that the PCO{dollar}\sb2{dollar} and PO{dollar}\sb2{dollar} of the arterial blood are hardly altered, even during strenuous exercise or other types of respiratory stress. The feedback control of ventilation was studied in human subjects using the technique of dynamic end-tidal forcings to produce perturbations in end-tidal PCO{dollar}\sb2{dollar} (P{dollar}\sb{lcub}\rm ET{rcub}{dollar}CO{dollar}\sb2{dollar}) and end-tidal PO{dollar}\sb2{dollar} (P{dollar}\sb{lcub}\rm ET{rcub}{dollar}O{dollar}\sb2{dollar}) to stimulate the respiratory chemoreceptors.;The purpose of the first study was to investigate the interaction between ventilatory drives from the central (cR{dollar}\sb{lcub}\rm c{rcub}{dollar}) and peripheral (pR{dollar}\sb{lcub}\rm c{rcub}{dollar}) chemoreceptors using their different …