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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Increased Risk Of Mental Illness Due To Epigenetic Alteration Of The Nr3c1 Gene After Early Life Adversity., Erin Mccue Apr 2022

Increased Risk Of Mental Illness Due To Epigenetic Alteration Of The Nr3c1 Gene After Early Life Adversity., Erin Mccue

Thinking Matters Symposium

Early life adversity (ELA), such as malnutrition, abuse, and economic disparity, is an issue commonly seen in adolescents, a group already facing increased risk for stress-related disorders. This review of current literature reveals that gestational stress exposure, as well as variations in maternal care during postnatal development, cause latent effects on the epigenome, specifically impacting the glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) encoded by the NR3C1 gene. GRs bind to glucocorticoids to regulate the body’s neuroendocrine stress response. However, in those with a history of ELA, the number of GRs is reduced, generating dysregulation within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Rodent studies are utilized …


Covid Susceptibility And Severity Correlation With The Ace2 Gene, Natalie Taylor Apr 2022

Covid Susceptibility And Severity Correlation With The Ace2 Gene, Natalie Taylor

Thinking Matters Symposium

A wide spectrum of susceptibility and severity of infection has been observed among COVID-19 patients. While some individuals remain unaffected by the Sars-Cov-2 virus, others have contracted the virus multiple times with varying levels of severity. This poster reviews some of the research demonstrating a link between the susceptibility of the Sars-Cov- 2 virus and the severity of infection, and a specific gene called ACE2. The ACE2 gene encodes an angiotensin-converting enzyme that acts as a functional receptor for the spike glycoprotein receptor binding domain of the coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses. ACE2 presents numerous amino acid variants …


The Effects Of Paclitaxel On Cellular Migration And The Cytoskeleton, Ashley Salguero-Gonzalez Apr 2022

The Effects Of Paclitaxel On Cellular Migration And The Cytoskeleton, Ashley Salguero-Gonzalez

Thinking Matters Symposium

In a clinical setting, some patients are exposed to an anti-cancer chemotherapy agent, paclitaxel. Cancerous cells undergo rapid, continuous cell division without control. Chemotherapy treatments try to slow and stop the uncontrollable cell division cycles and eliminate cancerous cells in the process. Paclitaxel serves as a treatment for some types of cancers, including lung, melanoma, bladder, and esophageal. Because it targets the cytoskeleton, paclitaxel can also influence cell migration. This project utilizes a cellular migration assay and an immunohistochemistry assay to analyze the effects of paclitaxel on the movement of cells and on the cytoskeleton of neuroglia rat cells with …


What Is The Cause Of Blue Eye Color In Humans?, Elaheh Seddiqi Apr 2022

What Is The Cause Of Blue Eye Color In Humans?, Elaheh Seddiqi

Thinking Matters Symposium

Approximately 16 different genes are responsible for human eye color. This literature review will discuss some changes in one of these genes, OCA2, a major contributor to eye color. One interval on chromosome 15 which contains the OCA2 gene and the OCA2 locus is found to be responsible for an estimated 74% of the variance in human eye color. Expression of OCA2 produces P protein in melanocytes. Melanocytes produce melanin, the substance that gives the eyes their color. Two adjacent genes on chromosome 15, HERC2 and OCA2, are so close together that an intron of HERC2 contains the promoter region …