Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Tissue-Specific Expression And Steroid Hormone Regulation Of Human Gonadotropin -Releasing Hormone (Hgnrh) Gene In Placental Cells (Jeg -3 Cells), Zhengguang Chen

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Using JEG-3 cells as an in vitro model, I investigated the mechanisms behind the tissue-specific expression and steroid hormone regulation of the hGnRH gene in the human placenta. The hGnRH upstream promoter was found to be functionally active in JEG-3 cells. The DNA sequence responsible for functioning of the upstream promoter in JEG-3 cells is narrowed to a region between –1048 bp and –730 bp. This DNA fragment contains four elements, which can bind with nuclear extract from JEG-3 cells (but not from GT1-7 cells).

Estradiol (E2) represses the hGnRH upstream promoter activity in JEG-3 cells. This inhibition is receptor-mediated, …

Clarification Of The Hybrid Origin Of Carex X Deamii Herm. (Cyperaceae) Based On Macro And Micro Morphological Characters, Paul B. Marcum

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The origin of Carex x deamii Herm. has been in question ever since it was named to science in 1938. Collections of the hybrid have always been associated with C. shortiana Dewey and either C. typhina Michx. or C. squarrosa L.. C. typhina and C. squarrosa are closely related taxa (Section Squarrosae) and often are morphologically similar. Because of this similarity, determining the correct parental species to the hybrid has been extremely difficult. It is known that the hybrid is sterile and only reproduces asexually. Pollen was analyzed to ascertain the viability of all four taxa. This study utilizes both …

Interaction Of Laminin Beta2 With Eps8 And Desmin In Muscle Cells, Luke Xueliang Cui

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Laminin β2 is localized to the synaptic basal lamina (BL) in muscle and glomerular BL in kidney. To find interacting proteins, a mouse kidney cDNA library was screened with domain I of rat laminin β2 using the yeast two-hybrid system. Fifteen positive clones were found. The DNA sequence of three each of these clones corresponded to the phosphoprotein Eps8 (epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate clone 8, which is tyrosine phosphorylated after EGF stimulation) and the intermediate filament (IF) protein keratin. To determine if this interaction occurred in muscle cells, C2 cells transfected with the rat …

The Role Of Retinoids And Protein Kinase C In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation And Function, Shaoshan Wang

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The structural and functional changes in the arterial wall of humans and animals accompany the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Hence, great interest exists in the mechanisms that govern vascular smooth muscle cell contraction and proliferation. Rat aortic rings maintained in organ culture show a significant loss of contractility; whereas, vascular smooth muscle cells in culture quickly dedifferentiate into a secretory phenotype with a marked capacity for proliferation. The addition of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) and retinol to the plasma-containing medium preserved the contractile response of cultured vessels. Removal of endothelium prior to culture abolished these effects. All-trans retinoic acid …