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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Structure And Composition Of Postsynaptic Densities, Madeline Farley Aug 2015

Structure And Composition Of Postsynaptic Densities, Madeline Farley

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Communication between neurons within the brain occurs at chemical synapses and is fundamental for all brain functions. Modulation of the strength of communication is controlled by both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms and is termed synaptic plasticity. One postsynaptic structure postulated to regulate synaptic strength is the postsynaptic density (PSD), a large electron dense protein complex located just below the synaptic membrane. The PSD, which is composed of signaling, scaffold and cytoskeletal proteins, supports and organizes neurotransmitter receptors within the synaptic membrane in addition to bridging signaling with the actin cytoskeletal network. The protein composition and structure of PSDs is known …


Induction Of Caspase-Dependent Death By Proteasome Targeted Therapy In Glioblastoma, Christa A. Manton May 2015

Induction Of Caspase-Dependent Death By Proteasome Targeted Therapy In Glioblastoma, Christa A. Manton

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

New therapeutic options are needed for glioblastoma, a deadly disease with a median survival of only 14 months with current treatment. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ) shows efficacy in cancers like myeloma, but its clinical utility in other cancer types has been more limited. Newer proteasome inhibitors such as marizomib (MRZ) have unique inhibitory and death inducing properties that have not been well examined in GBM. Additionally, targeting other components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system is possible, but has not been explored in GBM. Questions also still remain about the ability of BTZ and MRZ to be delivered to brain tumors …