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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Qualitative Assessment Of Human Embryonic- And Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neural Stem Cells Under Cgmp Methods, Michelle Hernandez May 2024

Qualitative Assessment Of Human Embryonic- And Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neural Stem Cells Under Cgmp Methods, Michelle Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Neural stem cell therapies represent a promising tool for the development of regenerative medicine and are being tested in clinical trials for several neurological disorders. However, the clinical applicability of stem cell therapies is dependent on the implementation of current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) to ensure the quality, safety, and consistency that stem cell products need to meet FDA regulatory requirements. As such, there is a need for a shift to xeno-free methodologies so experimental conditions are cGMP compliant. The purpose of this study is to test a GMP compatible production method to generate multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) from …


Investigating The Mechanisms Through Which Autophagy Controls Lipid Levels In Cyst Stem Cells., Jared Langdon Mar 2024

Investigating The Mechanisms Through Which Autophagy Controls Lipid Levels In Cyst Stem Cells., Jared Langdon

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

With an increase in the average age of the American population, incidents of age-related diseases and illnesses are rising across healthcare communities. Addressing these pathologies with a focus towards novel treatments warrants further research into their mechanistic origins. Lipid build up within cells has been correlated with increased risk for certain pathologies, namely Alzheimer's disease and type-2 diabetes (Demarco, 2020). In this study I aimed to investigate the origin of the increase in lipids, specifically we consider the effects of lipid build up on the maintenance of stem cell populations.


Neonatal Islet-1+ Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell-Derived Exosomes And Their Functional Ability To Regulate Proliferation, Lourdes Ceja Aug 2022

Neonatal Islet-1+ Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell-Derived Exosomes And Their Functional Ability To Regulate Proliferation, Lourdes Ceja

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Heart failure affects many people around the world and can lead to disease progression and death. Consequently, new stem and exosome-based therapies are needed to address this major health issue and to provide therapeutic options that will improve outcomes for the increasing number of patients with heart disease. Stem cell-derived exosomes have captivated researchers’ attention over the past couple of years based on their functional role in cellular signaling which highlights the vital component of the secretome of stem and progenitor cells. Since neonates have significantly enhanced regenerative ability, we hypothesized that exosomes isolated from Islet-1+ expressing neonatal human cardiovascular …


Determining Haplotype Specific X Chromosome Inactivation State And Related Epigenetic Features In Female X-Linked Genes, Ariah Dawn Mackie Jan 2022

Determining Haplotype Specific X Chromosome Inactivation State And Related Epigenetic Features In Female X-Linked Genes, Ariah Dawn Mackie

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Females with heterozygous X-linked mutations are prone to pseudo-haploinsufficiency because random X chromosome inactivation (XCI) silences one of their two X chromosomes. A prior study explored the theory that reactivating the silenced healthy allele could be a treatment for pseudo-haploinsufficient females. The next step was to evaluate this approach in a clinically relevant stem cell model of the rare neurological disease CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder (CDD). It was necessary to validate X-inactivation state with respect to CDKL5 allele expression in one of these models. We explored CDKL5 allele expression in two populations of CDD female patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) …


Probing The Role Of Astrocytes In The Pathology Of Fragile X Syndrome With Human Stem Cells, Baiyan Ren Dec 2021

Probing The Role Of Astrocytes In The Pathology Of Fragile X Syndrome With Human Stem Cells, Baiyan Ren

Theses & Dissertations

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder related to intellectual disability and the most common monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder. FXS is mainly caused by an expansion of CGG repeats in the 5’-untranslated region of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene, leading to the loss of expression of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Loss of FMRP in astrocytes has been found to contribute to structural and functional synaptic deficits in the Fmr1-KO mouse model. The contribution of human astrocytes, however, to the …


Cop9 Signalosome Component Csn-5 Promotes Accumulation And Function Of Stem Cell Regulators Fbf-1 And Fbf-2, Emily Osterli Jan 2021

Cop9 Signalosome Component Csn-5 Promotes Accumulation And Function Of Stem Cell Regulators Fbf-1 And Fbf-2, Emily Osterli

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

RNA-binding proteins FBF-1 and FBF-2 (FBFs) are required for stem cell maintenance in C. elegans, although the mechanisms by which FBFs protein levels are regulated remain unknown. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified an interaction between both FBFs and CSN-5, a component of the COP9 (constitutive photomorphogenesis 9) signalosome. This highly conserved COP9 complex can affect protein stability through a range of mechanisms including deneddylation, deubiquitination, and phosphorylation (Wolf et al., 2003). Mapping protein-protein interactions between FBFs and CSN-5 suggested that the MPN (Mpr1/Pad1 N-terminal) metalloprotease domain of CSN-5 interacts with the RNA-binding domain of FBFs at physiologically …


Delivery Of Small Molecule And Rna Using Synthetic Polymeric Micelles And Multifunctional Exosomes For The Treatment Of Type 1 Diabetes, Yang Peng Dec 2019

Delivery Of Small Molecule And Rna Using Synthetic Polymeric Micelles And Multifunctional Exosomes For The Treatment Of Type 1 Diabetes, Yang Peng

Theses & Dissertations

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most challenging chronic autoimmune diseases. The destruction and dysfunction of insulin-secreting β cells are the results of inflammatory infiltration and the synergistic effect of multiple immune cells. The aim of this dissertation is to develop novel and reliable therapeutic approaches to advance the treatment of T1D: including chemical modification of a broad-spectrum immunosuppressant, co-application of small molecule based immune intervention and siRNA based β cell preservative therapy, and administration of a PI3K-δ/γ dual inhibitor to specifically target immune cells, utilizing synthetic polymeric micelles or natural produced multi-functional exosomes derived from human bone marrow …


Platiscity Of C. Elegans Germline Stem Cells Under Nutritional And Metabolic Stress, Kenneth Trimmer May 2019

Platiscity Of C. Elegans Germline Stem Cells Under Nutritional And Metabolic Stress, Kenneth Trimmer

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Stem cells are integral for tissue maintenance and fertility. Therefore, understanding how stem cells are regulated under stress is imperative. When confronted with acute starvation, stem cells must conserve energy and metabolites to cope with the lack of an external source. Caenorhabditis elegans germline stem cells (GSCs) are an excellent model for studying stem cell properties and regulation as they can divide throughout the life of the organism. While GSCs are an adult stem cell population, their cell cycle structure more closely mimics mouse and human embryonic stem cells with short G1 and long S phases. In this thesis, I …


The Role Of Rock Signaling On Salivary Gland Organoid Formation, Matthew Koslow Jan 2019

The Role Of Rock Signaling On Salivary Gland Organoid Formation, Matthew Koslow

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Salivary glands are crucial organs that are responsible for secreting saliva which is important for the breakdown of carbohydrates, providing lubrication of the mouth, and maintenance of oral health. Patients diagnosed with Sjögren's Syndrome or receiving treatment for head and neck cancer, can permanently lose salivary gland function, which is referred to as salivary hypofunction. As a result, these patients develop Xerostomia, or the feeling of dry mouth, and suffer from an overall decreased quality of life. To combat the negative effects of salivary hypofunction, stem cell therapy is an attractive option, as implantation of specific cell populations can rescue …


Transcending The Cell Fate Stereotype: Cell Penetrating Peptide Technology Helps Induce Pluripotency In Multiple Cell Types, Kelsey Clearman May 2018

Transcending The Cell Fate Stereotype: Cell Penetrating Peptide Technology Helps Induce Pluripotency In Multiple Cell Types, Kelsey Clearman

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are one of the most promising new technologies in the field of regenerative medicine. iPSCs can be generated directly from a patient’s own fibroblast cells then converted into any cell type, thus overcoming challenges associated with embryonic stem cells and graft-vs-host disease that result from current methods. Generation of iPSCs from fibroblasts is traditionally accomplished by ectopic expression of four key transcription factors (TFs): Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc also known as OSKM. These TFs have been shown to be involved in maintaining pluripotency and inhibiting embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation. Reprogramming fibroblasts into iPSCs …


Evidence For The Involvement Of Runx1 And Runx2 In Maintenance Of The Breast Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype, Mark Fitzgerald Jan 2018

Evidence For The Involvement Of Runx1 And Runx2 In Maintenance Of The Breast Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype, Mark Fitzgerald

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, metastatic breast cancer kills approximately 40,000 women and 400 men annually, and approximately 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. Worldwide, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Despite advances in the detection and treatment of metastatic breast cancer, mortality rates from this disease remain high because the fact is that once metastatic, it is virtually incurable. It is widely accepted that a major reason breast cancer continues to exhibit recurrence after remission is that current therapies are insufficient for targeting and eliminating therapy-resistant cancer cells. Emerging research has …


Chromatin-Signaling Axis Orchestrates The Formation Of Germline Stem Cell Differentiation Niche In Drosophila, Maitreyi Upadhyay Jan 2018

Chromatin-Signaling Axis Orchestrates The Formation Of Germline Stem Cell Differentiation Niche In Drosophila, Maitreyi Upadhyay

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Stem cells have the unique capability of self-renewing into stem cells and differentiating into several terminal cell types. Loss of either of these processes can lead to aging, progression towards degenerative diseases and cancers. Insight into how self-renewal and differentiation are regulated will have tremendous therapeutic impact. Drosophila is an excellent model system for stem cell study due to the availability of various mutants, markers and RNAi technology. In order to study stem cell biology, we use female Drosophila gonads, whose stem cell population – the germline stem cells (GSCs) gives rise to gametes.


The Dlk1-Meg3 Locus In Malignant Cells Of Proposed Primordial Germ Cell Origins., Zachariah Payne Sellers Aug 2017

The Dlk1-Meg3 Locus In Malignant Cells Of Proposed Primordial Germ Cell Origins., Zachariah Payne Sellers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are hypothesized to deposit hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) along their migration route through the embryo during the early stages of embryogenesis. PGCs also undergo global chromatin remodeling, including the erasure and reestablishment of genomic imprints, during this migration. While PGCs do not spontaneously form teratomas, their malignant development into germ cell tumors (GCTs) in vivo is often accompanied by the retention of hypomethylation at the IGF2-H19 imprinting control differentially methylated region (DMR). Previous studies in bimaternal embryos determined that proper genomic imprinting at two paternally imprinted loci was necessary for their growth and development: Igf2-H19 and …


Expansion, Characterization, Differentiation, And Visualization Of Mc 3t3-E1 Preosteoblast Cells: An In Vitro Model To Study Bone Healing And Stem Cell-Mediated Regeneration, Jakob T. Samsel, Madhu Dhar, Austin Bow, Tom Masi May 2016

Expansion, Characterization, Differentiation, And Visualization Of Mc 3t3-E1 Preosteoblast Cells: An In Vitro Model To Study Bone Healing And Stem Cell-Mediated Regeneration, Jakob T. Samsel, Madhu Dhar, Austin Bow, Tom Masi

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


Investigating The Fibroblastic Origin Of Skin-Derived Precursors And The Role Of Ccn2 As A Mediator Of Myofibroblastic Differentiation, Matthew Tsang May 2015

Investigating The Fibroblastic Origin Of Skin-Derived Precursors And The Role Of Ccn2 As A Mediator Of Myofibroblastic Differentiation, Matthew Tsang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Skin-derived precursors (SKPs) are defined as multipotent spheroid-forming cells cultured from the dermis that express markers of neural crest origin. Recent evidence suggests that tissue fibrosis can occur through the differentiation of progenitor cells into smooth muscle-like myofibroblasts. CCN2, a marker and mediator of fibrosis, is highly expressed during myofibroblast differentiation and is required for skin fibrogenesis. Here, I clarify the cellular origin of SKPs, and the molecular contribution of CCN2 in the myofibroblastic differentiation of SKPs. Using lineage tracing, I show that SKPs originate primarily from Col1a2-expressing dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, I show that differentiation of SKPs into myofibroblasts requires …


The Role Of Stem Cells In Adipose Tissue Remodeling., Candice Reshay Holden 1988- Dec 2014

The Role Of Stem Cells In Adipose Tissue Remodeling., Candice Reshay Holden 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The work presented in this dissertation outlines the role of stem cells in the remodeling of adipose tissue under conditions of nutrient excess. Obesity-induced variations in adipose tissue stem cell distribution were uncovered by analysis of the stromal vascular fraction isolated from mice fed a high fat diet for several weeks. Bone marrow cell transplantation was used to determine the derivation of progenitor cells found in adipose tissue; and supplementation of depleted progenitor cell populations achieved via direct cell transplantation, helped to determine the contribution of these progenitor cells to the remodeling process. The dissertation is presented in five chapters …


Isolation And Characterization Of Multipotent Lung Stem Cells From P53 Mutant Mice Models, Venkat Sundar Gadepalli Jan 2014

Isolation And Characterization Of Multipotent Lung Stem Cells From P53 Mutant Mice Models, Venkat Sundar Gadepalli

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in understanding lung biology have shown evidence for the existence of resident lung stem cells. Independent studies in identifying and characterizing these somatic lung stem cells have shown the potential role of these cells in lung repair and regeneration. Understanding the functional characteristics of these tissue resident stem/progenitor cells has gained much importance with increasing evidence of cancer stem cells, cells in a tumor tissue with stem cell characteristics. Lung cancer is most commonly characterized by loss of p53 function which results in uncontrolled cell divisions. Incidence of p53 point mutations is highest in lung cancer, with a …


Induced-Pluripotent Stem-Derived Neuronal Progenitor Cells As A Novel Treatment For Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dennisse A. Gonzalez-Romero May 2012

Induced-Pluripotent Stem-Derived Neuronal Progenitor Cells As A Novel Treatment For Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dennisse A. Gonzalez-Romero

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Cellular therapies, as neuronal progenitor (NP) cells grafting, are promising therapies for patients affected with neurodegenerative diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). At this time there is no effective treatment or cure for CJD. The disease is inevitably fatal and affected people usually die within months of the appearance of the first clinical symptoms. Compelling evidence indicate that the hallmark event in the disease is the conversion of the normal prion protein (termed PrPC) into the disease-associated, misfolded form (called PrPSc). Thus, a reasonable therapeutic target would be to prevent PrP misfolding and prion replication. This strategy …


A Proposal To Test The Effects Of Factor Ecat1 On Pluripotency, From Reprogramming To Differentiation Of Human Somatic Cells, Vritti R. Goel Jan 2012

A Proposal To Test The Effects Of Factor Ecat1 On Pluripotency, From Reprogramming To Differentiation Of Human Somatic Cells, Vritti R. Goel

CMC Senior Theses

The field of stem cell research has been growing more because of the interest in using stem cells to cure diseases and heal injuries. Human embryonic stem cells, because of the controversy surrounding them—and subsequently the difficulties in acquiring samples of the existing aging cell lines—can only be used in limited capacities. While the development of induced pluripotent stem cells in the last decade has allowed the field to progress closer to medical treatments, the low efficiency of reprogramming a somatic cell to a pluripotent state, and the vast molecular and genomic differences between human embryonic stem cells and human …


A Breast Cancer Stem Cell Model Created From Mmtv-Pymt Mice Applicable To Human Breast Cancer, Denise Grant Lanza Jan 2011

A Breast Cancer Stem Cell Model Created From Mmtv-Pymt Mice Applicable To Human Breast Cancer, Denise Grant Lanza

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Cancer stem cells are the seeds of tumor growth, but there are limited cell-based methods that exist to study the properties of these cells. To create a model of breast cancer stem cells, we isolated tumors from MMTV-PyMT mice. Two out of the four different cell types isolated survived in culture, CD44+CD24- and CD24+CD49f+CD44low. We found that we could initiate tumors with as few as 10 cells injected subcutaneously in the hind leg or orthotopically in the cleared fat pad with CD24+ cells. However, we could not initiate tumors with injection of CD24- cells. We found a requirement for TICs …


Characterization And Differentiation Of Peripheral Blood Derived Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells, Hari Satya Shankar Addagarla Jan 2009

Characterization And Differentiation Of Peripheral Blood Derived Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells, Hari Satya Shankar Addagarla

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Stem cells are populations of undifferentiated cells that are found in most tissues and act as precursors for regeneration and maintenance. In the future, they could provide promising therapies for diseases which are to date incurable. Our lab developed a novel cell line from the peripheral blood of adult transgenic green fluorescent protein swine and designated them as Peripheral Blood Derived Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells (PBD-MAPCs). In this study we characterized the mRNA and protein expression profiles of PBD-MAPCs before and after neural differentiation and investigated the potential of PBD-MAPCs to differentiate into myocardial or neural lineages in vitro. We …