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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Effects Of Global Dna Methylation Changes On Neurobehavior In Zebrafish, Matthew Christopher Pickens Dec 2015

Effects Of Global Dna Methylation Changes On Neurobehavior In Zebrafish, Matthew Christopher Pickens

Theses and Dissertations

A number of environmental neurotoxicants modulate DNA methylation, but its influence on neurobehavior remains unclear. The laboratory has established that low-level developmental methylmercury exposure induces neurobehavioral deficits; the current results demonstrate that it also induces global DNA hypomethylation. DNA methyltransferase 1-mutant zebrafish (exhibit ~70% reduction in enzymatic activity) were used to assess the role of DNA hypomethylation on behavior. Several neurobehavioral assays including the C-start escape, circadian rhythm, basic locomotion and visual-motor response (VMR) were also performed. There was a significant difference in VMR between the wild type and mutant animals. Other behavior assays revealed no significant difference, primarily due …


Role Of Non-Muscle Myosin Ii And Calcium In Zebrafish Midbrain-Hindbrain Boundary Morphogenesis, Srishti Upasana Sahu May 2015

Role Of Non-Muscle Myosin Ii And Calcium In Zebrafish Midbrain-Hindbrain Boundary Morphogenesis, Srishti Upasana Sahu

Theses and Dissertations

Elucidating the molecular mechanisms that play a role in cellular morphogenesis is critical to our understanding of brain development and function. The midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB) is one of the first folds in the vertebrate embryonic brain and is highly conserved across species. We used the zebrafish MHB as a model for determining the molecular mechanisms that regulate these cell shape changes. Cellular morphogenesis is tightly regulated by signaling pathways that rearrange the cytoskeleton and produce mechanical forces that enable changes in cell and tissue morphology. The generation of force within a cell often depends on motor proteins, particularly non-muscle myosins …


Developmental Toxicity Of Tetrakis (Hydromethyl) Phosphonium Chloride (Thpc) In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Embryos, Lan L. Nguyen Apr 2015

Developmental Toxicity Of Tetrakis (Hydromethyl) Phosphonium Chloride (Thpc) In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Embryos, Lan L. Nguyen

Honors College Theses

Tetrakis (hydromethyl) phosphonium chloride (THPC) is a tetrakis (hydromethyl) phosphonium salt commonly used by the textile industry and is polymerized onto cotton fabrics to provide a flame-retardant finish. Traces of THPC were found in the Ogeechee River, a 294 mile-long black river in Georgia, and could have been a toxin contributing to the mass killing of aquatic animals in May 2011. THPC has been known to be carcinogenic and cause other systemic toxicity in various mammalian animals. However given that the chemical is mostly discharged in natural waters, the environmental impact of the discharge on water quality and there by …


Myosin 10 Is Required For Spinal Motor Axon Growth And Guidance In Zebrafish Embryos, Crystal Ivey Jan 2015

Myosin 10 Is Required For Spinal Motor Axon Growth And Guidance In Zebrafish Embryos, Crystal Ivey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurodevelopmental disorders are disabilities caused by malfunctioning mechanisms within the developing nervous tissue. These abnormalities often result in conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), motor dysfunctions, learning disabilities and mental retardation. Recent surveys indicate that there will be a 12% increase of children in the United States alone who are affected by neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, it is important to understand both the normal and abnormal mechanisms of neural development. Neural development involves specification of new neurons and formation of neural circuits that connect the nervous system to every organ of the developing embryo. Neural circuits …


Myosinx Is Required For Craniofacial Development In Danio Rerio, Cole Yancey Jan 2015

Myosinx Is Required For Craniofacial Development In Danio Rerio, Cole Yancey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Craniofacial development is the process of laying early cartilage and bone patterns in the anterior region of the embryo, which ultimately results in shaping the structure of the face and head of an organism. Craniofacial abnormalities in humans, such as cleft lip and palate, are among the most common of all birth defects. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in craniofacial development will help us understand both evolutionary processes and genetic diseases. Craniofacial cartilage and bone structures are almost entirely derived from neural crest cells. Neural crest are a pluripotent migratory stream of cells that originate from the early developing …


Dual Functions For Insulinoma-Associated 1 In Retinal Development, Marie A. Forbes-Osborne Jan 2015

Dual Functions For Insulinoma-Associated 1 In Retinal Development, Marie A. Forbes-Osborne

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Proper visual system function requires tightly controlled proliferation of a pool of relatively homogeneous retinal progenitor cells, followed by the stepwise specification and differentiation of multiple distinct cell types. These retinal cells, both neuronal and glial, must be generated in the correct numbers, and the correct laminar location to permit the formation of synaptic connections between individual cell types. After synapses are made, constant signaling is required as part of normal retinal function, and to maintain cellular identity and connectivity. These processes rely on both extrinsic and intrinsic signaling, with regulation of gene expression by cascades of transcription factors having …