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Articles 211 - 240 of 751

Full-Text Articles in Physiology

Intestinal Nematodes Of Lake Trout (Salvelinusnamaycush): An, Sandra B. Bay, Dr. Richard A. Heckmann Sep 2013

Intestinal Nematodes Of Lake Trout (Salvelinusnamaycush): An, Sandra B. Bay, Dr. Richard A. Heckmann

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recently, a non-endemic species of fish, Salvelinus namaycush, was introduced into Yellowstone Lake. These lake trout feed on the native cutthroat trout, an important food source for higher predators in the area. During routine examinations of the lake trout, an abnormally high infection of intestinal nematodes was discovered. These intestinal nematodes are also found in the endemic lake trout in nearby Lewis Lake, but at a lower level of infection.

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Transgenic Rescue Of Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm) Mice, Lisa Higgenbotham, Dr. Robert Seegmiller Sep 2013

Transgenic Rescue Of Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm) Mice, Lisa Higgenbotham, Dr. Robert Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Microinjection is a technique used to introduce DNA into the genome of an animal at the embryo stage. It is an effective way to insert replacement, or rescue, copies of a gene that the embryo may be lacking. In this study, I prepared purified copies of the mouse Col2a1 gene and microinjected them into the pronuclei of single-cell mouse embryos. Col2a1 encodes type II collagen, a major component of cartilage. Mice carrying one or two mutant alleles of Col2a1 are characterized by developmental abnormalities, degenerative joint disease, and even death. This phenotype is observed in Disproportionate micromelia (Dmm) mice, which …

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The Effect Of Estrone On The Interaction Between Phospholipase A And The Phospholipid Bilayer, Eric M. Troxell, Marci L. Troxell, Dr. Marci L. Troxell, John D. Bell Sep 2013

The Effect Of Estrone On The Interaction Between Phospholipase A And The Phospholipid Bilayer, Eric M. Troxell, Marci L. Troxell, Dr. Marci L. Troxell, John D. Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Phospholipase A is a protein that interacts reversibly with the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes. This interaction is affected by physical alterations in the bilayer, which can be caused by a variety of sources, including temperature and certain drugs. Cholesterol is one of the sources known to change the physical properties of the bilayer. It was hypothesized that estrone (Cl8H2202), which is similar in structure to cholesterol, would also affect the bilayer. Studying the effects of various drugs on the bilayer and phospholipase A2 can lead to greater understanding of the lipid/protein interactions occurring in cells.

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Retinal Detachment In Mice With Disproportionate Micromelia, Jared R. Jackson, Dr. Robert Seegmiller Sep 2013

Retinal Detachment In Mice With Disproportionate Micromelia, Jared R. Jackson, Dr. Robert Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Stickler syndrome, caused by a mutation of the Collagen 2A1 gene, is the most common cause of inherited retinal detachment in children. A mutation of the same gene in mice causes Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm). “In cases where mouse mutations occur in genes that are also responsible for human disorders, the mouse strains provide essential model systems for studies of pathogenetic mechanisms.” The purpose of this study is to find and document evidence of retinal detachment that is hypothesized in heterozygous (Dmm/+) mutant mice.

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Understanding Actin To Stop Metastasis, James Moody, Ben Werner Sep 2013

Understanding Actin To Stop Metastasis, James Moody, Ben Werner

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project is to identify the organization and mechanism of the proteins in the Zyxin-VASP actin regulatory system using biochemical analysis and in vitro reconstitution.

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Chondrocyte Apoptosis Correlated With Progression Of Osteoarthritis In Dmm Mice, Ryan Anderson, Dr. Robert E. Seegmiller Sep 2013

Chondrocyte Apoptosis Correlated With Progression Of Osteoarthritis In Dmm Mice, Ryan Anderson, Dr. Robert E. Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive disease resulting in the degeneration of synovial joint cartilage and is the leading cause of chronic disability in the elderly1. Despite the prevalence of this disease, its pathogenesis is poorly understood. There is need for low cost, short generation animal model to study this disease. For this, we used a proven mouse model as the means for researching OA, the Disproportionate micromellia (Dmm) mouse which has been shown to develop early onset OA. One mechanism involved in OA that we are specifically researching is programmed cell death, apoptosis, of cartilage cells, chondrocytes and how it …

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Understanding Cancer Metastasis: The Role Of Zyxin In Actin Dynamics, Nicholas H. Bishop Sep 2013

Understanding Cancer Metastasis: The Role Of Zyxin In Actin Dynamics, Nicholas H. Bishop

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research aims to elucidate the protein interactions at cell-cell contacts (adherens junctions or AJs) by studying the fluorescence recovery of three known AJ proteins (zyxin, VASP, and actin) after photobleaching. At AJs, zyxin interacts with VASP (Vasioukhin et al., 2000) which in turn encourages the polymerization of actin (Vasioukhin et al., 2000). Mutation of certain regions of zyxin may reveal their role in zyxin-VASP binding and regulation. The effects of altering VASP activity should be evident in actin turnover rate. In Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching (FRAP), regions of cell-cell adhesions with fluorescently labeled zyxin, VASP, or actin are bleached …

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Fetal Programming Of A Hyperactive Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Joshua P. Thatcher, Dr. James P. Porter Sep 2013

Fetal Programming Of A Hyperactive Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Joshua P. Thatcher, Dr. James P. Porter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cardiovascular diseases have become among the most widespread of adult diseases in the United States. Over the last few decades, the United States has experienced a dramatic increase in the rate of diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Obesity and Hypertension.

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Histological Validation Of Iron As An Imaging Biomarker For Amyloid Beta And Tau Depositions In Alzheimer’S Disease, Ashley Salin, Dr. Jonathan Wisco Sep 2013

Histological Validation Of Iron As An Imaging Biomarker For Amyloid Beta And Tau Depositions In Alzheimer’S Disease, Ashley Salin, Dr. Jonathan Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

At present, no one can diagnose a patient with Alzheimer’s disease until postmortem examination. It was our goal to change that theory and make it possible to diagnose varying degrees of Alzheimer’s through Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Analysis of the spatial overlap of non-heme iron, phosphorylated tau protein, and Amyloid Beta depositions in consecutive tissue slices of the hippocampus of post-mortem subjects ultimately facilitated characterization and detection of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s through MRI’s.

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Three-Dimensional Characterization And Mapping Of Gluteus Medius Muscle Fibers, Kylen Zibetti, Dr. Jonathan Wisco Sep 2013

Three-Dimensional Characterization And Mapping Of Gluteus Medius Muscle Fibers, Kylen Zibetti, Dr. Jonathan Wisco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The human body is amazingly complex. Every structure and function affects multiple other structures and functions in a very automated way. Going from sitting to standing includes thousands of activated neurons, millions of contracting muscle fibers, and perfect balance coordinated between the semicircular canals and brain. With so much to study it was difficult to narrow it down. I decided though that I wanted to better understand anatomy, and especially the very fine anatomy of the hip because I am interested in gait pattern. After working with Dr. Wisco, I concluded that I would create a three dimensional model of …

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Lipid Regulation After Induction Of The C-Met Pathway In Mdck Cells, Kristen Alexander, Dr. Marc Hansen Sep 2013

Lipid Regulation After Induction Of The C-Met Pathway In Mdck Cells, Kristen Alexander, Dr. Marc Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A key characteristic of cancer is metastasis of the primary tumor to other locations in the body. Hepatocyte-growth factor (HGF) is a highly characterized and studied factor that induces epithelial cell scattering, through the c-met pathway, and mediates a similar response to metastasis (Cecchi, et al., 2012, Lai, et al, 2012). Trademarks of the c-Met pathway, as stimulated by HGF, include proliferation, angiogenesis, inflammation, cell survival and migration (Bozkaya, et al., 2012). When activated in cancer patients, the c-Met pathway leads to a poor prognosis (Wang, et al., 2003). The scientific community is trying to understand characteristics and cellular changes …

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The Role Of Wnt Ligands In The Development Of Limb Musculature, Jordan Huber, Dr. Jeffery Barrow Sep 2013

The Role Of Wnt Ligands In The Development Of Limb Musculature, Jordan Huber, Dr. Jeffery Barrow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Wnt family of secreted proteins consists of 19 family members (in the mouse) and is known to signal through multiple pathways that regulate crucial processes in the development of almost all tissues. Dissecting the roles of individual Wnts has been hampered due to functional redundancy that exists between family members. By making a conditional allele of the O-acyltransferase, Porcupine (Porcn), that is required for the secretion of all Wnt ligands, and a tissue specific enhancer to drive Cre expression, we are able to eliminate the secretion of all Wnt ligands in tissues of interest. We eliminated the secretion of …

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Cellular Mechanisms Underlying The Operations Of The Brain’S Memory Center, Spencer Bella, Dr. Jeffrey Edwards Sep 2013

Cellular Mechanisms Underlying The Operations Of The Brain’S Memory Center, Spencer Bella, Dr. Jeffrey Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Participating in mentored research funded by ORCA has again provided me with valuable research experience and taught me valuable lessons about the research process. Although due to certain setbacks my project was not able to progress to the point of conclusive results, the results we have at this point may show support of our hypothesis. Other members of Dr. Edwards’ lab will continue the project as I have graduated and am pursuing further education elsewhere.

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Inhibition Of Nek2 And Proteasome Activity, Jessica Flory, David Bearss Sep 2013

Inhibition Of Nek2 And Proteasome Activity, Jessica Flory, David Bearss

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nek2 is a kinase that promotes centrosome separation during the cell cycle. Our lab has shown that Nek2 over-­‐expression is the best predictor of a poor outcome in multiple myeloma therapy, but the mechanism is unknown. The standard therapy for treating multiple myeloma is use of Bortezomib, an inhibitor of the proteasome (which degrades proteins). Mitosis is often triggered by the degradation of proteins that are unnecessary for the cell to divide. The evidence that Nek2 over-­‐expression can predict the outcome of multiple myeloma therapy leads us to the hypothesis that Nek2 affects proteasome activity in multiple myeloma cells. The …

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Endocannabinoid Biosynthetic Enzymes In Hippocampal Stratum Oriens Interneurons, Ryan Williamson, Dr. Jeff Edwards Sep 2013

Endocannabinoid Biosynthetic Enzymes In Hippocampal Stratum Oriens Interneurons, Ryan Williamson, Dr. Jeff Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The hippocampus is thought to mediate learning and memory by altering the strength of synapses within its circuitry [1]. The plastic nature of these synapses allows the brain to alter the sensitivity of neurons to excitatory input. Improper regulation of synaptic plasticity may cause memory loss associated with neurodegenerative disease [2].

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Effects Of Tlr-4 Blockers On The Severity Of Oa In Rage Knockout Mice, Jeffrey Kartchner, Dr. David Kooyman Sep 2013

Effects Of Tlr-4 Blockers On The Severity Of Oa In Rage Knockout Mice, Jeffrey Kartchner, Dr. David Kooyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As the population in the US continues to age, osteoarthritis (OA) is becoming a larger issue, currently effecting over 27 million people1. Presently, pharmaceutical options aim to lessen the effects of the disease, while no preventative treatment is currently available. Much of the current arthritis research is targeted at the effects of inflammation on the progression of OA. Our lab has shown in previous research that mice lacking the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) are protected from OA2. Other labs have shown the possibility of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) involvement in the progression of the disease as well3. …

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Genetic Comparison Of Bear Lake Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah), Yellowstone Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Bouveri), And Bonneville Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah), Jared Tadje, R. Paul Evans Sep 2013

Genetic Comparison Of Bear Lake Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah), Yellowstone Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Bouveri), And Bonneville Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah), Jared Tadje, R. Paul Evans

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Geologic evidence indicates that there was a volcano about 30,000 years ago in Southern Idaho. Before the volcano, Bear Lake was connected to the Snake River, but lava flow from this volcano separated them. Currently, a river connects Bear Lake to the Lake Bonneville region surrounding the Great Salt Lake (Fig. 1). Many people believe that the Bear Lake cutthroat trout evolved from other cutthroat subspecies in the Lake Bonneville Region. My hypothesis is that they are more closely related to the cutthroat subspecies in the Snake River system, and that they evolved together before the volcano separated them. I …

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Analyzation Of The Cellular Mrna Content For 6 And Cyclooxygenase In Rat Adrenal Cells, Sean David Paulsen, Dr. Allen M. Judd Sep 2013

Analyzation Of The Cellular Mrna Content For 6 And Cyclooxygenase In Rat Adrenal Cells, Sean David Paulsen, Dr. Allen M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recent neuroimmunoendocrine research has focused on points of convergence between what have traditionally been labeled the “nervous,” “immune,” and “endocrine” systems. We are beginning to realize that the walls marking the boundaries of these systems are not as exclusive as once thought. Certain commonalities or areas of overlap exist. One such point of convergence between the endocrine and immune systems is the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6).

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Understanding Cancer Metastasis: The Role Of Zyxin In Actin Dynamics, Nicholas Bishop, Dr. Marc D. Hansen Sep 2013

Understanding Cancer Metastasis: The Role Of Zyxin In Actin Dynamics, Nicholas Bishop, Dr. Marc D. Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research aims to elucidate the protein interactions at cell-cell contacts (adherens junctions or AJ’s) by studying the fluorescence recovery of three known AJ proteins (zyxin, VASP, and actin) after photobleaching. At AJ’s, zyxin interacts with VASP (Vasioukhin et al., 2000) which in turn encourages the polymerization of actin (Vasioukhin et al., 2000). Mutation of certain regions of zyxin may reveal their role in zyxin-VASP binding and regulation. The effects of altering VASP activity should be evident in actin turnover rate. In Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP), regions of cell-cell adhesions with fluorescently labeled zyxin, VASP, or actin are bleached …

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Molecular Modeling And Dynamics: Development Of A Model For The Glcosphingolipid Gt1b, Dustin Danowski, David Busath Aug 2013

Molecular Modeling And Dynamics: Development Of A Model For The Glcosphingolipid Gt1b, Dustin Danowski, David Busath

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT) is currently being widely researched a a possible treatment for many medical conditions, as well as for cosmetic purposes. However, the mechanism describing how this family of toxins interact with their receptors to cause endocytosis is not well understood. We have developed a model of the GT1b ganglioside receptor of BoNT that may be used for Molecular Modeling and Dynamics simulations. The development of such a model is necessary to understand the mechanism of BoNT endocytosis, which then helps us determine possible uses and dangers of the toxin as a medical treatment. We had planned to complete …

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Does Snap-25 Act As A V-Snare?, Nathan La Monica, Dr. Dixon Woodbury Aug 2013

Does Snap-25 Act As A V-Snare?, Nathan La Monica, Dr. Dixon Woodbury

Journal of Undergraduate Research

SNAP-25, a protein that is found abundantly in the brain, is a key player in the process of releasing neurotransmitters. Vesicles, or small spheres of lipid membranes, contain neurotransmitters and have numerous proteins that extend outward from the vesicle. To release the neurotransmitters proteins on the vesicle bind with proteins on the pre-synaptic membrane causing the fusion of the two membranes. SNAP-25 along with Syntaxin (membrane bound protein) and Synaptobrevin (vesicle bound protein) work together to form a complex called the SNARE complex (Bowen, 2004). The current theory on how this complex works is that SNAP-25 has to be bound …

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Modifying The Apical Ectodermal Ridge In Embryological Development Of Vertebrates, Lauren Clough, Dr. Jeffery R. Barrow Aug 2013

Modifying The Apical Ectodermal Ridge In Embryological Development Of Vertebrates, Lauren Clough, Dr. Jeffery R. Barrow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Vertebrate embryonic limb development is a complex process that involves many genes and processes. Patterning takes place along three axes, including the proximal-distal axis of the limb. The Apical Ectodermal Ridge (AER) helps to guide development along the proximal-distal axis, but the genetic and cellular mechanisms whereby it performs its roles are not well understood. This study attempted to discover whether the AER is able to recruit limb cells through oriented cell division through experiments with surgical manipulation of the AER in chicks and genetic manipulation in mice. By using cellular markers to determine apoptotic and mitotic indices, we have …

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An In Vitro Examination Of The Effect Of Cholesterol On Vesicle Exocytosis, Brandon Forbes Aug 2013

An In Vitro Examination Of The Effect Of Cholesterol On Vesicle Exocytosis, Brandon Forbes

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Neurons communicate to other cells by releasing neurotransmitter through a process called exocytosis. Exocytosis of neurotransmitter containing vesicles to their plasma membranes is via the SNARE protein complex. Studies that have examined the SNARE protein complex, using an in vitro lipid bilayer model, have thus far not examined the effects of cholesterol on the SNARE driven fusion. As a research hypothesis, I expect that cholesterol will have a positive effect on the rate of SNARE driven fusion events.

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Correlation Between Mc540 Fluorescence And Ps Exposure In Apoptotic Cells, Liz Gibbons, Dr. John Bell Aug 2013

Correlation Between Mc540 Fluorescence And Ps Exposure In Apoptotic Cells, Liz Gibbons, Dr. John Bell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of my project was to further study cell membrane changes during apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This was an extension of the research being done by Dr. Bell and my fellow students on the susceptibility of cells to the enzyme secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2). This enzyme hydrolyzes cell membranes, but only those with certain lipid properties. In general, only cells that are dead, injured, or dying display significant susceptibility to sPLA2 while healthy cells resist hydrolysis (Nielson, 2000). We use fluorescent probes to study these membrane lipid properties and how they change as the cells undergo apoptosis. These …

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The Relationship Between High-Salt And Estrogen On Blood Pressure Under Basal And Stressed Conditions In The Female Offspring Of Sprague Dawley Rats That Were Subjected To High Or Normal Salt Diets During Pregnancy, Brandon G. Wilkinson, Dr. James Porter Aug 2013

The Relationship Between High-Salt And Estrogen On Blood Pressure Under Basal And Stressed Conditions In The Female Offspring Of Sprague Dawley Rats That Were Subjected To High Or Normal Salt Diets During Pregnancy, Brandon G. Wilkinson, Dr. James Porter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one leading cause of death in the United States. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a form of CVD and affects nearly 1 in 3 American adults. Men are more likely than women to develop hypertension until 45 years of age. However, percentages of women diagnosed with hypertension rise to exceed that of men around 45-54 years of age.1 This trend in hypertension is a clear age-related sex dimorphism. The trend suggests that following the onset of menopause, women have a higher risk of hypertension, a risk that continues to rise with age.2-3 Current research …

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The Relationship Between Zyxin And Rac1 In Cell Junction Formation, Dan Brereton, Ryan Vellinga, Craig Barnette, Dr. Marc Hansen Aug 2013

The Relationship Between Zyxin And Rac1 In Cell Junction Formation, Dan Brereton, Ryan Vellinga, Craig Barnette, Dr. Marc Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In order to better understand how cancer metastasizes we must discover how cancer cells are able to break down their cell-cell junctions.

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Characterization Of Osteoarthritic Degeneration In Sedc Mutant Mice, David Holt, Dr. Robert Seegmiller Aug 2013

Characterization Of Osteoarthritic Degeneration In Sedc Mutant Mice, David Holt, Dr. Robert Seegmiller

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDC) is a recessive human genetic disorder characterized by skeletal abnormalities and early onset osteoarthritis (OA).1 Type II and the alpha 3 chain of type XI collagen together are integral in the development of normal articular cartilage (AC) and are both encoded by the Col2a1 gene.2 Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (sedc) mice have a missense mutation of the Col2a1 gene within the triple helical region of type II collagen, affecting its production, leading to development of abnormal AC.

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Discovering The Involvement Of Lipid-Rafts In The Interleukin-6 Pathway Of Cortisol Release From Adrenal Cells, Timothy Chang, Dr. Allan M. Judd Aug 2013

Discovering The Involvement Of Lipid-Rafts In The Interleukin-6 Pathway Of Cortisol Release From Adrenal Cells, Timothy Chang, Dr. Allan M. Judd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex and is involved in response to stress and increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels, suppresses the immune system, and may cause infertility in women. The pathway in which protein Interleukin-6, also known as IL-6, stimulates the synthesis of this steroid is not completely understood. One aspect of the pathway that has not been studied is whether or not the IL-6 pathway is dependent on cell membrane lipid-rafts for cortisol release. In discovering the involvement of lipid-rafts in the IL-6 pathway, we will not only further understand IL-6 involvement in cortisol …

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Trpv1 Modulation Of Synaptic Plasticity In The Hippocampus, Douglas Bennion, Dr. Jeff Edwards Aug 2013

Trpv1 Modulation Of Synaptic Plasticity In The Hippocampus, Douglas Bennion, Dr. Jeff Edwards

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Learning and memory are phenomena that are made possible via physical changes at neuronal synapses in the brain, a phenomenon known as synaptic plasticity. Because synaptic plasticity affects physical changes in the brain in response to external stimuli, it is suspected of playing an essential role in strengthening or weakening the neural pathways regulating short-term learning and memory within the hippocampus. Dysfunctions in synaptic plasticity contribute to such diseases and disorders as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and retrograde amnesia.1 By further clarifying the mechanism of synaptic plasticity, in which TRPV1 is suspected of participating, I have tried to fill a …

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Actin Reorganization Events In Zyxin Mutant Cells, Stephen Filios, Dr. Marc Hansen Aug 2013

Actin Reorganization Events In Zyxin Mutant Cells, Stephen Filios, Dr. Marc Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cell migration is an important part of understanding how cancer affects the body. Benign tumors are non-migratory, and can be removed from a patient surgically. Once cancer cells start to migrate, or metastasize, the cancer is considered malignant. As a result, cancer spreads to other parts of the body. This research looked at the process by which epithelial cells become migratory, known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition or EMT.

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