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Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Systems Biology

Pharmacological Or Genetic Targeting Of Transient Receptor Potential (Trp) Channels Can Disrupt The Planarian Escape Response, Ziad Sabry , '21, A. Ho, D. Ireland, C. Rabeler, O. Cochet-Escartin, Eva-Maria S. Collins Dec 2019

Pharmacological Or Genetic Targeting Of Transient Receptor Potential (Trp) Channels Can Disrupt The Planarian Escape Response, Ziad Sabry , '21, A. Ho, D. Ireland, C. Rabeler, O. Cochet-Escartin, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

In response to noxious stimuli, planarians cease their typical ciliary gliding and exhibit an oscillatory type of locomotion called scrunching. We have previously characterized the biomechanics of scrunching and shown that it is induced by specific stimuli, such as amputation, noxious heat, and extreme pH. Because these specific inducers are known to activate Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels in other systems, we hypothesized that TRP channels control scrunching. We found that chemicals known to activate TRPA1 (allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and hydrogen peroxide) and TRPV (capsaicin and anandamide) in other systems induce scrunching in the planarian species Dugesia japonica and, except …


Linalool Acts As A Fast And Reversible Anesthetic In Hydra, T. Goel, R. Wang, S Martin, Elizabeth Y. Lanphear , '19, Eva-Maria S. Collins Oct 2019

Linalool Acts As A Fast And Reversible Anesthetic In Hydra, T. Goel, R. Wang, S Martin, Elizabeth Y. Lanphear , '19, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

The ability to make transgenic Hydra lines has allowed for quantitative in vivo studies of Hydra regeneration and physiology. These studies commonly include excision, grafting and transplantation experiments along with high-resolution imaging of live animals, which can be challenging due to the animal’s response to touch and light stimuli. While various anesthetics have been used in Hydra studies, they tend to be toxic over the course of a few hours or their long-term effects on animal health are unknown. Here, we show that the monoterpenoid alcohol linalool is a useful anesthetic for Hydra. Linalool is easy to use, non-toxic, fast …


Mouth Function Determines The Shape Oscillation Pattern In Regenerating Hydra Tissue Spheres, R. Wang, T. Goel, K. Khazoyan, Ziad Sabry , '21, H. J. Quan, P. H. Diamond, Eva-Maria S. Collins Sep 2019

Mouth Function Determines The Shape Oscillation Pattern In Regenerating Hydra Tissue Spheres, R. Wang, T. Goel, K. Khazoyan, Ziad Sabry , '21, H. J. Quan, P. H. Diamond, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

Hydra is a small freshwater polyp capable of regeneration from small tissue pieces and from aggregates of cells. During regeneration, a hollow bilayered sphere is formed that undergoes osmotically driven shape oscillations of inflation and rupture. These oscillations are necessary for successful regeneration. Eventually, the oscillating sphere breaks rotational symmetry along the future head-foot axis of the animal. Notably, the shape oscillations show an abrupt shift from large-amplitude, long-period oscillations to small-amplitude, short-period oscillations. It has been widely accepted that this shift in oscillation pattern is linked to symmetry breaking and axis formation, and current theoretical models of Hydra symmetry …


Screening For Neurotoxic Potential Of 15 Flame Retardants Using Freshwater Planarians, S. Zhang, D. Ireland, N. S. Sipes, M. Behl, Eva-Maria S. Collins May 2019

Screening For Neurotoxic Potential Of 15 Flame Retardants Using Freshwater Planarians, S. Zhang, D. Ireland, N. S. Sipes, M. Behl, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

Asexual freshwater planarians are an attractive invertebrate model for high-throughput neurotoxicity screening, because they possess multiple quantifiable behaviors to assess distinct neuronal functions. Planarians uniquely allow direct comparisons between developing and adult animals to distinguish developmentally selective effects from general neurotoxicity. In this study, we used our automated planarian screening platform to compare the neurotoxicity of 15 flame retardants (FRs), consisting of representative phased-out brominated (BFRs) and replacement organophosphorus FRs (OPFRs). OPFRs have emerged as a proposed safer alternative to BFRs; however, limited information is available on their health effects. We found 11 of the 15 FRs (3/6 BFRs, 7/8 …


Comparative Analysis Of Zebrafish And Planarian Model Systems For Developmental Neurotoxicity Screens Using An 87-Compound Library, D. Hagstrom, L. Truong, S. Zhang, R. Tanguay, Eva-Maria S. Collins Jan 2019

Comparative Analysis Of Zebrafish And Planarian Model Systems For Developmental Neurotoxicity Screens Using An 87-Compound Library, D. Hagstrom, L. Truong, S. Zhang, R. Tanguay, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

There is a clear need to establish and validate new methodologies to more quickly and efficiently screen chemicals for potential toxic effects, particularly on development. The emergence of alternative animal systems for rapid toxicology screens presents valuable opportunities to evaluate how systems complement each other. In this article, we compare a chemical library of 87-compounds in two such systems, developing zebrafish and freshwater planarians, by screening for developmental neurotoxic effects. We show that the systems’ toxicological profiles are complementary to each other, with zebrafish yielding more detailed morphological endpoints and planarians more behavioral endpoints. Overall, zebrafish was more sensitive to …