Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Biology Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Homocysteine: A Potential Molecular Link Between Alzheimer's Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cyndel Carreau May 2011

Homocysteine: A Potential Molecular Link Between Alzheimer's Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cyndel Carreau

Biological Sciences

In order to elucidate some of the mechanisms through which Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are linked, this study investigated the effects of elevated plasma homocysteine levels – a risk factor for AD – in a rat model of T2DM. Both elevated plasma homocysteine levels and T2DM are associated with cognitive deficits and are recognized as strong risk factors for the development of AD. The present experiment examined the effects of diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemia on the development of cognitive impairments and insulin-resistance, as well as on the insulin signaling cascade, in a diet-induced obese rat model of …


Characterization Of Rna Aptamers To Drosophila Splicing Protein B52”, Benjamin Stern May 2011

Characterization Of Rna Aptamers To Drosophila Splicing Protein B52”, Benjamin Stern

Biological Sciences

The protein B52 is an essential component of the spliceosome in Drosophila M. and is responsible for processing precursor-mRNA. B52 belongs to a family of proteins named SR proteins which are critical in initiation and commitment of RNA splicing. Analogous to human SRp55, B52 has been shown to be responsible for alternative and constitutive splicing during a multitude of cellular and developmental events. RNA aptamers selected during an in vitro selection and amplification process (SELEX) for B52 were found to have a co-variation in the stem of these aptamers. Using biochemical and structural techniques, I will explore the RNA-protein interaction …


The Role Of Rac1 Signaling In Tissue Polarity And Branching Morphogenesis During Salivary Gland Development, Janice Jin May 2011

The Role Of Rac1 Signaling In Tissue Polarity And Branching Morphogenesis During Salivary Gland Development, Janice Jin

Biological Sciences

Salivary gland development in embryonic mouse occurs through the process of branching morphogenesis and differentiation to ultimately give rise to a fully functional, saliva-secreting adult gland. During branching morphogenesis, epithelial cells establish an apical and basal pole which determines the ultimate direction in which salivary fluid and proteins are secreted. Exactly how salivary tissue polarity is determined on a cellular and glandular level is not fully understood. Rac1, a member of the Rho GTPase family, is an intracellular signal transducer that has been shown in other cell types to regulate cell polarization. Rac1 is also important for the organization of …