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Zebrafish As A Model To Understand The Impact Of Inactivity And Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Elisabeth Kilroy
Zebrafish As A Model To Understand The Impact Of Inactivity And Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation On Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Elisabeth Kilroy
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Skeletal muscle plasticity is imperative for functional adaptation to changing demands in activity. Although a great deal is known about the structural and functional plasticity of healthy skeletal muscle, far less is known about plasticity in diseased muscle. Here, we combined the power of the zebrafish model with the adaptability of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to study the basic mechanisms of plasticity in the zebrafish model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Four NMES paradigms, defined by their frequency, delay, and voltage, were designed to emulate the repetition and load schemes of human resistance training programs. Additionally, two inactivity paradigms were …
Neuromuscular Development And Phenotypic Variation In Zebrafish Models Of Dystroglycanopathy, Erin Bailey
Neuromuscular Development And Phenotypic Variation In Zebrafish Models Of Dystroglycanopathy, Erin Bailey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Skeletal muscle is highly conserved among vertebrates and is essential for strength and locomotion. This tissue becomes integrated with the skeletal system via tendons at the myotendinous junction and with the nervous system at the neuromuscular junction. Both of these specialized junctions are rich in extracellular matrix, a protein scaffold that occupies the extracellular space of cells. Skeletal muscle is also highly plastic and can grow in size (hypertrophy) or lose mass (atrophy) in response to genetic or environmental cues. Muscle atrophy is found in individuals battling a number of neuromuscular conditions, including muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophies are a suite …
Host Mediated Mechanisms Of Fungal Cell Spread In A Transparent Zebrafish Infection Model, Allison Scherer
Host Mediated Mechanisms Of Fungal Cell Spread In A Transparent Zebrafish Infection Model, Allison Scherer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Innate immunity has developed elegant processes for the detection and clearance of invasive fungal pathogens. Disseminated candidiasis is of significant concern for those with suppressed immune systems or indwelling medical equipment, and mortality in these groups approaches 70%. Poor patient outcomes have spurred the need to understand how this non-motile pathogen spreads in the host. Technical limitations have previously hindered our ability to visualize the role of innate immunity and host tissue barriers in the spread of C. albicans in vivo. Using the zebrafish model to overcome these limitations, we have examined three potential host-mediated mechanisms of dissemination: movement …
Effect Of Arsenic Exposure On Early Eye Development In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Remy S. Babich
Effect Of Arsenic Exposure On Early Eye Development In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Remy S. Babich
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Arsenic is a metalloid that contaminates drinking water supplies worldwide. Due to concerns for human health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have established a safe level in drinking water of ≤ 10 ppb. Arsenic has been shown to have carcinogenic effects in humans at high and low doses. Chronic exposure may result in dermal conditions such as hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation. Recently, arsenic exposure has also been linked to lower IQ values in children. The effect of arsenic on neurogenesis, specifically eye development, has not been widely explored. This study aimed to examine the …
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Toxicant Effects On Mast Cell Signaling And Mitochondria, Juyoung Katherine Shim
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Toxicant Effects On Mast Cell Signaling And Mitochondria, Juyoung Katherine Shim
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Mast cells contribute to numerous physiological processes and diseases including immunological and neurological roles. Mast cells degranulate, releasing potent mediators, following signaling transduction initiated by receptor crosslinking. Previously, we showed that the environmental toxicant arsenic and the antibacterial agent triclosan inhibit mast cell degranulation; thus, we have investigated the mechanisms underlying their inhibitory action. We have discovered that arsenic targets early steps in the mast cell signaling pathway: it inhibits phosphorylation of early tyrosine kinase Syk and of Syk’s direct substrate PI3K. Arsenic’s tyrosine phosphorylation inhibition causes inhibition of calcium influx into the cytosol, a key event necessary for degranulation. …
Expression Profiling Of Non-Coding Rna By Environmental Interactions In Innate Immunity, Jacob R. Longfellow
Expression Profiling Of Non-Coding Rna By Environmental Interactions In Innate Immunity, Jacob R. Longfellow
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects 30,000 people in the United States and currently has no cure. Although CF affects all of the body’s systems, it is largely characterized as a lung disease. CF is caused by a mutation in both copies of the gene for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). A mutation in the CFTR gene leads to improper movement of chloride ions and water into the airways, which dysregulates the airway surface liquid volume and composition. Individuals with CF are prone to lung infections due to inefficient bacterial clearance and by the age of …
Candida And Pseudomonas Interact To Enhance Mucosal Infection In Transparent Zebrafish, Audrey C. Bergeron
Candida And Pseudomonas Interact To Enhance Mucosal Infection In Transparent Zebrafish, Audrey C. Bergeron
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Polymicrobial communities exist throughout the human body and include both fungi and bacteria. During disease, cross-kingdom interactions among bacteria, fungi, and/or the immune system can alter virulence and lead to complex polymicrobial infections. The fungus C. albicans is among the most commonly isolated fungi in the context of fungal-bacterial co-infections and is often accompanied by the bacterium P. aeruginosa at a variety of sites throughout the body including mucosal tissues such as the lung. In vitro, C. albicans and P. aeruginosa have a cyclic, bi-directional, and largely antagonistic relationship, but these interactions do not account for the role of the …