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Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

Amino Acid Sensing Ability By The Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin In Oligodendrocytes, Emma England Apr 2020

Amino Acid Sensing Ability By The Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin In Oligodendrocytes, Emma England

Senior Theses and Projects

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are a type of glial cell in the central nervous system that require substantial nutrients such as lipids and amino acids to create the extensive, metabolically expensive myelin sheath surrounding the axons of neurons. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a regulatory kinase that is necessary for the maturation of progenitor OLs through their distinct oligo-lineage phases. Amino acids are vital for the functioning of cells. The focus of this study was to determine if mTOR activity is dependent on the availability of leucine, methionine, and alanine. This was assessed by examining the phosphorylation level of the …


Mtor Signaling And Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In Mixed Glial Cultures, William Theodore Schreiber-Stainthorp Apr 2015

Mtor Signaling And Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In Mixed Glial Cultures, William Theodore Schreiber-Stainthorp

Senior Theses and Projects

Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system. The extraordinary protein and lipid synthesis that myelin production entails makes oligodendrocytes especially prone to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In this experiment, we set out to investigate the dynamics of ER stress in mixed glial cultures, and how the consequences of that stress vary based on the activity of the anabolic PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Previous experiments in isolated oligodendrocyte cultures demonstrated a negative correlation between AKT/mTOR signaling and oligodendrocyte cell viability in the presence of ER stressors. Because ER stress leads to a buildup of improperly processed proteins, decreases in mTOR …


Characterizing And Treating The Neuropathology Of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex In The Mouse, Sharon W. Way Dec 2010

Characterizing And Treating The Neuropathology Of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex In The Mouse, Sharon W. Way

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multisystem, autosomal dominant disorder affecting approximately 1 in 6000 births. Developmental brain abnormalities cause substantial morbidity and mortality and often lead to neurological disease including epilepsy, cognitive disabilities, and autism. TSC is caused by inactivating mutations in either TSC1 or TSC2, whose protein products are known inhibitors of mTORC1, an important kinase regulating translation and cell growth. Nonetheless, neither the pathophysiology of the neurological manifestations of TSC nor the extent of mTORC1 involvement in the development of these lesions is known. Murine models would greatly advance the study of this debilitating disorder. This thesis …