Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

The Ctcf Chromatin Organizer Is Required For Hindlimb Development, Katherine L. Rabicki

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mutations in chromatin organizer CTCF were identified in patients with intellectual disability and skeletal defects. Previous studies demonstrated that depletion of CTCF in murine limb mesenchyme results in apoptosis in the forelimb. The role of CTCF in the hindlimb, however, is unknown. My objective was to investigate effects of CTCF deletion on chondrogenesis and skeletal development in the hindlimb. In vitro wild-type micromass cultures demonstrate that chondrocyte gene expression is delayed in the hindlimb when compared to forelimbs. Embryonic Ctcf^Fl/Fl;Prx1Cre mice were investigated, and qRT-PCR and histology were performed on limb buds and long bones. Results show that …

Induction Of Differentiation Of Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Dpsc), Aubrey Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mesenchymal stem cells are derived from a variety of human tissues and are being bioengineered and studied for possible uses in the advancement of medicine. Recent efforts are being focused on Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSC's) due to the accessibility of this tissue. Many factors influence DPSC quality and quantity, including the specific methods used to isolate, collect, concentrate, and store these isolates once they are removed. Ancillary factors, such as the choice of media, the selection of early versus late passage cells, and cryopreservation techniques may also influence the differentiation potential and proliferative capacity of DPSC isolates.

The objective …