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Articles 31 - 60 of 62
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Spinal Cord Injury: Exploring The Histology Of Electrospun Implants In Vivo, Charles Lin
Spinal Cord Injury: Exploring The Histology Of Electrospun Implants In Vivo, Charles Lin
Theses and Dissertations
Spinal cord injury results in loss of motor function and sensory perception. A myriad of obstacles prevent axonal regeneration and ultimately functional recovery in those afflicted with spinal cord injury. Combinatorial strategies addressing many of these obstacles simultaneously have shown promising results. Laboratories investigating contusional spinal cord injuries must overcome the formation of a fluid filled cyst, a physical gap that axons must traverse, at the injury epicenter. To fill the cyst, our lab has generated a 3-D electrospun matrix that is capable of directing neurite outgrowth, delivering neurotrophic support, and reducing the activity of neuroinhibitory compounds. These electrospun matrices …
Focal Adhesion Kinase, A Major Regulator Of Oligodendrocyte Morphological Maturation And Myelination, Audrey Lafrenaye
Focal Adhesion Kinase, A Major Regulator Of Oligodendrocyte Morphological Maturation And Myelination, Audrey Lafrenaye
Theses and Dissertations
The formation of the myelin sheath is a crucial step during development because it enables fast and efficient propagation of signals within the limited space of the mammalian central nervous system. During the process of myelination, oligodendrocytes actively interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM). These interactions are considered crucial for proper and timely completion of the myelin sheath. However, the exact regulatory circuits involved in the signaling events that occur between the ECM and oligodendrocytes are currently not fully understood. Therefore, in this dissertation we investigated the role of a known integrator of cell-ECM signaling, namely, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), …
Perifosine, A Novel Akt Inhibitor Induces Apoptosis, Cell Cycle Arrest And Has A Chemo-Sensitizing Effect In Medulloblastoma Cell Lines, Anil Kumar
Theses and Dissertations
Primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the most common solid tumors found in children. While surgery and radiotherapy still remain the standard treatment modalities in pediatric brain tumors, chemotherapy also has an important part in the management of these tumors. However, most of the available chemotherapeutic drugs have suboptimal effectiveness. Deregulation of various pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic pathways has been cited as a major mechanism underlying this drug resistance. The role of various serine threonine kinases, including Akt kinases, in promoting drug resistance is being extensively studied in various cancers. A complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie drug …
The Influences Of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Expression On Glioblastoma Pathology, Nicholas Pullen
The Influences Of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Expression On Glioblastoma Pathology, Nicholas Pullen
Theses and Dissertations
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive central nervous system (CNS) cancer characterized by enhanced tumor cell motility, pernicious invasion into the normal brain, extensive tumor-induced angiogenesis, and adaptive resistance to current therapeutic paradigms. One of the difficulties associated with GBM is the ability of the tumor cells to infiltrate normal CNS tissue. Neurosurgeons can remove the primary tumor mass, but peripheral cells that are inaccessible will ultimately result in a secondary lesion that can lead to death. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are well known for their abilities to facilitate processes of cellular motility and invasion through their clearance of extracellular …
Dendritic Spine Density Varies Between Unisensory And Multisensory Cortical Regions, Moazzum Bajwa
Dendritic Spine Density Varies Between Unisensory And Multisensory Cortical Regions, Moazzum Bajwa
Theses and Dissertations
In the brain, the dendritic spine is a point of information exchange that extends the neuronal surface on which synapses occur, as well as facilitates and stabilizes those contacts. Furthermore, dendritic spines dynamically change in shape and number in response to a variety of factors. Dendritic spine numbers are reduced in mental retardation, enhanced during development, sensory enrichment or physical exercise, or fluctuate during the reproductive cycle. Thus, for a given neuron type, it might be expected that dendritic spine number might achieve a dynamic optimum. Indeed, many studies of spine density of pyramidal neurons in sensory cortex indicate that …
Therapeutic Strategies Aimed To Facilitate Axonal Regeneration And Functional Recovery Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury, Woon Chow
Theses and Dissertations
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a physically debilitating, emotionally devastating, financially costly, and life-changing condition that afflicts more than 1,000,000 people in the United States alone. Owing to the characteristic neuropathology and low regenerative capacity of the central nervous system, many victims of SCI are left permanently paralyzed. Though the tissue damage caused by the initial insult almost certainly cannot be reversed, intensive research in recent years to elucidate the cellular and molecular events that follows has provided new grounds for optimism. Accordingly, in this dissertation, we present a number of potential treatment strategies aimed to address some of …
Specific Levels Of Therapeutic Ultrasound Stimulate The Release Of Inflammatory And Angiogenic Mediators From Macrophages In Culture, Thomas Turner
Specific Levels Of Therapeutic Ultrasound Stimulate The Release Of Inflammatory And Angiogenic Mediators From Macrophages In Culture, Thomas Turner
Theses and Dissertations
Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) is a treatment modality that is used to accelerate tissue healing. TUS is thought to affect cellular processes of tissue healing, especially those that occur in the inflammatory and early proliferative phases. TUS can be applied using various parameter selections including intensity, wavelength, duty cycle and treatment duration and no clear consensus exists on optimal parameters for healing enhancement. Macrophages are important mediators of inflammation and their actions are critical to normal progression into the proliferative phase of healing. They complete many functions during these periods of tissue healing, among those being release of cytokines and growth …
Effect Of Posture On Acromiohumeral Distance With Arm Elevation In Subjects With And Without Rotator Cuff Disease Using Ultrasonography, Nitin Kalra
Theses and Dissertations
Objectives: To examine the effects of posture on subacromial (SA) space with arm elevation in patients with rotator cuff disease (RCD) and healthy subjects. Background: Poor posture has been linked to altered scapular mechanics, theorized to lead to excessive SA space narrowing. However, no study has examined the direct effects of posture on SA space using ultrasonography. We hypothesize that when compared to a neutral posture, upright posture will increase SA space and slouched posture will decrease SA space. Methods: Subjects with painful RCD (n=31) and healthy (n=29) shoulders participated. SA space was measured on ultrasound generated images using the …
Structural Interactions Between The Α3Β1 Integrin And Mmp-2: A Potential Functional Role In Cell Adhesion, James Bowman
Structural Interactions Between The Α3Β1 Integrin And Mmp-2: A Potential Functional Role In Cell Adhesion, James Bowman
Theses and Dissertations
During cardiac development and in cardiac disease changes in hemodynamic load initiate events leading to remodeling of the ECM. This study addresses the hypothesis that interactions between Integrins and Metalloprotienases function to modulate cell adhesion in the cultured cardiac fibroblast. The fibroblast is positioned to detect and respond to changes in the mechanical load on the heart. Functionally the cardiac fibroblast is the primary cell type responsible for the production, maintenance, and remodeling of the cardiac interstitium. Matrix Metalloproteinases, specifically the Gelatinases, are expressed in concert during development and in disease with changes in the hemodynamic loading of the heart. …
Investigating The Response Of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells To The Cuprizone Model Of Demyelination, David Moffatt
Investigating The Response Of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells To The Cuprizone Model Of Demyelination, David Moffatt
Theses and Dissertations
Multiple sclerosis and other myelin diseases affect the quality of life many people. In the United States alone, multiple sclerosis afflicts as many as 400,000 individuals. Myelin, which is attacked by multiple sclerosis, plays a critical role in maintaining the healthy function of the adult nervous system. There are many model systems that study myelin and its formation and loss. Our lab investigates the cuprizone model of demyelination and remyelination. The cuprizone model is commonly believed only to affect adult oligodendrocytes, which it kills. The current study investigates whether other cells in the oligodendrocyte line, such as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, …
Multisensory Input To The Lateral Rostral Suprasylvian Sulcus (Lrss) In Ferret, Elizabeth Hagood
Multisensory Input To The Lateral Rostral Suprasylvian Sulcus (Lrss) In Ferret, Elizabeth Hagood
Theses and Dissertations
For the brain to construct a comprehensive percept of the sensory world, information from the different senses must converge onto individual neurons within the central nervous system. As a consequence, how these neurons convert convergent sensory input into multisensory information is an important question facing neuroscience today. Recent physiological studies have demonstrated the presence of a robust population of multisensory neurons in the lateral bank of the rostral suprasylvian sulcus (LRSS) in adult ferret (Keniston et al, 2008). The LRSS is a region situated between somatosensory and auditory cortices, where bimodal (somatosensory-auditory) neurons occupy the greatest percentage of the sensory-responsive …
The Expression And Function Of Phosphacan/Rptpβ In Adaptive Synaptogenesis After Traumatic Brain Injury, Janna Harris
The Expression And Function Of Phosphacan/Rptpβ In Adaptive Synaptogenesis After Traumatic Brain Injury, Janna Harris
Theses and Dissertations
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 1.5 million Americans annually and is a major health concern. Increasing evidence suggests that the brain extracellular environment regulates plasticity and synaptic recovery following TBI. Here we have focused on phosphacan/RPTPβ, an alternatively spliced group of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans which are prominent within the mature brain extracellular matrix (ECM). Previous studies show that phosphacan/RPTPβ influences neuronal migration, adhesion, neurite outgrowth, and morphogenesis. However, our understanding of how these important ECM components are involved in recovery from brain trauma remains unclear. In the present study, we used unilateral entorhinal cortex lesion (UEC), a model which induces …
Discovery And Initial Characterizations Of Neurofascin 155 High And Neurofascin 155 Low, Anthony Pomicter
Discovery And Initial Characterizations Of Neurofascin 155 High And Neurofascin 155 Low, Anthony Pomicter
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis contains the findings from four years of research regarding an oligodendrocyte protein named neurofascin 155. The role of this protein in maintaining adhesion between the myelin sheath of oligodendrocytes and the axons of neurons has become well established in recent years and the research presented here has revealed that while western blots have previously shown one protein/band representing neurofascin 155, there are two proteins/bands. These two proteins have been named neurofascin 155 high and neurofascin 155 low due to their previous inclusion in the single band. The work leading up to their discovery, findings, and the relevance of …
Interneuron Subtypes Are Differentially Altered In Malformed, Epileptogenic Cortex, Amanda George
Interneuron Subtypes Are Differentially Altered In Malformed, Epileptogenic Cortex, Amanda George
Theses and Dissertations
The propensity for seizures in patients with epilepsy is due to underlying cortical hyperexcitability, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. Particularly difficult to treat are patients with developmental malformations of cortex. Using the freeze-lesion rat model of one such malformation, polymicrogyria, we identified, in lesioned cortex, alterations in specific interneuron subpopulations that may promote hyperexcitability. Previous studies demonstrate increased excitatory input to the paramicrogyral region. An increase in the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) recorded from pyramidal cells has also been shown. We report an increase in sEPSCs recorded from one subtype of interneuron, the low threshold-spiking …
Modeling Pure Vasogenic Edema In The Rat Brain, Charles Nottingham
Modeling Pure Vasogenic Edema In The Rat Brain, Charles Nottingham
Theses and Dissertations
Targeted drug delivery to the brain is difficult to achieve using conventional techniques, largely due to the blood-brain barrier’s (BBB) impediment to drug diffusion into the brain parenchyma. In response, development of convection-enhanced delivery (CED) offers the ability to circumvent the BBB and target specific areas of the brain. Predictability of infusate movement in pathological brain states during CED will maximize the effectiveness of this treatment, and therefore modeling of infusate movement must be characterized. Previous work from our lab effectively modeled CED in rats using the middle carotid artery occlusion model of cytotoxic edema. However, previous models examined for …
The Effects Of Atomoxetine On Cognitive Performace And Neuroplasticity After Traumatic Brain Injury, Wendy Reid
The Effects Of Atomoxetine On Cognitive Performace And Neuroplasticity After Traumatic Brain Injury, Wendy Reid
Theses and Dissertations
Catecholaminergic neurotransmission is regionally altered following injury, and drugs aimed at these systems offer promising avenues for post-TBI pharmacotherapies. Atomoxetine is a selective norepinephrine transporter (NET) inhibitor currently indicated for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The studies in this dissertation were designed to test the efficacy of atomoxetine for treating cognitive deficits following experimental TBI and the potential mechanism for any beneficial effect. The first part of the study focused on behavioral recovery following atomoxetine treatment. Several important questions of dose, therapeutic window, and duration of treatment were addressed in these studies. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to lateral fluid-percussion …
Analysis Of Mouse Eklf/Klf2 E9.5 Double Knockout: Yolk Sac Morphology And Embryonic Erythroid Maturation, Tina Kathy Lung
Analysis Of Mouse Eklf/Klf2 E9.5 Double Knockout: Yolk Sac Morphology And Embryonic Erythroid Maturation, Tina Kathy Lung
Theses and Dissertations
Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) are a family of transcription factors with 3 Cys2/His2 zinc fingers that regulate cell differentiation and developmental processes. EKLF is involved in primitive and definitive erythropoiesis; KLF2 is implicated in the development of primitive erythroid and endothelial cells of the vasculature. Using light and electron microscopy, the yolk sacs and dorsal aortae from EKLF/KLF2 double knockout (KO) E9.5 (embryonic day 9.5) were examined to determine whether these KLFs have compensatory functions in morphology of blood cells and vessels. EKLF/KLF2 double KO E9.5 erythroid, endothelial, and mesothelial cells had more severely abnormal morphology than WT and KLF2-/-. Flow …
The Role Of Inhibitory Interneurons In A Model Od Developmental Epilepsy, Patrick James Wolfgang
The Role Of Inhibitory Interneurons In A Model Od Developmental Epilepsy, Patrick James Wolfgang
Theses and Dissertations
Epilepsy, defined by recurrent seizures, is the one of the most prevalent neurological disorders worldwide (World Health Organization 2007). While many forms of epilepsy are well-controlled by anti-epileptogenic medications, a significant portion of patients have intractable, i.e. untreatable, seizures. The etiology of these seizures is varied, but a significant cause, particularly for patients with intractable epilepsy is developmental malformation. In these cases, an error or interruption during the development of the neocortex produces a structural alteration. Such patients may have other neurological problems, but seizures are the most common symptom. The neuronal mechanisms that link malformation and cortical hyperexcitability are …
The Expression And Function Of Wilms' Tumor 1 In Malignant Glioma, Aaron J. Clark
The Expression And Function Of Wilms' Tumor 1 In Malignant Glioma, Aaron J. Clark
Theses and Dissertations
The Wilms' tumor 1 gene is overexpressed in many types of cancer and is associated with poor prognosis and resistance to anti-cancer therapies. In vitro studies in non-glioma cells types have demonstrated that WTl plays a role in increased proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, and increased cellular invasion. We aimed to thoroughly characterize the expression pattern of Wilms' tumor 1 in human malignant glioma and discern its function in this complex disease process. We screened a large sample of established human malignant glioma cell lines and glioma tissue specimens of all grades for WT1 expression. The majority of cell lines and …
Diffuse Brain Injury Triggers Ultra-Rapid Perisomatic Traumatic Axonal Injury, Wallerian Change, And Non-Specific Inflammatory Responses, Brian Joseph Kelley
Diffuse Brain Injury Triggers Ultra-Rapid Perisomatic Traumatic Axonal Injury, Wallerian Change, And Non-Specific Inflammatory Responses, Brian Joseph Kelley
Theses and Dissertations
A significant component of diffuse brain injury (DBI) is diffuse axonal injury (DAI) which is responsible for the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. DAI and its experimental counterpart traumatic axonal injury (TAI) result in scattered microscopic pathology characterized by focal impairment of axonal transport leading to progressive swelling and delayed axotomy. DBI-mediated perisomatic axotomy does not result in acute neuronal death suggesting that delayed axotomy was responsible for this unanticipated response. To evaluate this hypothesis, we examined the spatiotemporal progression of DBI-mediated perisomatic TAI. LM / TEM identified impaired axonal transport within 15 - 30 min post-injury. Perisomatic …
Assessing Epidermal Growth Factor Expression In The Rodent Hippocampus Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Janice Mabutas Daus
Assessing Epidermal Growth Factor Expression In The Rodent Hippocampus Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Janice Mabutas Daus
Theses and Dissertations
Hippocampal neurons are vulnerable to injury, as indicated by the prevalence of learning and memory deficits following traumatic brain injury. Research indicates that proliferation of neural precursor cells increases following brain injury, which implies that there is an endogenous response in the hippocampus to replenish neurons and restore cognitive function. Studies show that mitogenic growth factors may drive this proliferative response; one of which is epidermal growth factor. Because adults and the elderly manifest the most enduring deficits following TBI, it is critical to investigate how EGF expression following injury may relate to injury-induced cell proliferation and the degree of …
The Role Of Sulfatide In Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Britton Beasley Jr.
The Role Of Sulfatide In Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Britton Beasley Jr.
Theses and Dissertations
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and loss of cortical neurons that control memory and cognition. The cause of NFTs and Aβ plaques is not clear, though it is known that they are formed by enzymes which are preferentially sequestered to membrane domains called lipid rafts. Sulfatide (ST) is a glycosphingolipid that is essential for the proper structure and function of lipid rafts. In mice that lack ST, membrane domains that are normally maintained by adhesive contacts and functional lipid rafts are improperly formed and are unstable. In these ST null …
Molecular Localization Of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1-Alpha In Post-Ischemic Myocardium Following In Vivo Prolyl-4 Hydroxylase-2 Gene Silencing, Julia Antoinette Messina
Molecular Localization Of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1-Alpha In Post-Ischemic Myocardium Following In Vivo Prolyl-4 Hydroxylase-2 Gene Silencing, Julia Antoinette Messina
Theses and Dissertations
Administration of small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific for prolyl-4 hydroxylase-2 (PHD2) results in PHD2 inhibition, Hypoxia Inducible Factor-I (HIF-1) activation, and cardioprotection versus Ischemia Reperfusion (IR). This study observes the effects of siRNA-mediated PHD2 inhibition on the distribution of cardioprotective proteins by immunofluorescence and basic histology. Fifteen mice were divided into 5 groups: PHD2 Control, Non-Targeting scramble (NTS) Control, IR Control, PHD2 IR, and NTS IR. Histologically, tissue damage was reduced dramatically in the PHD2 IR group compared to the NTS IR and IR control groups. From confocal images, total fluorescent pixels and intensities were quantified. The PHD2 IR group …
Cross-Modal Projections From Auditory To Visual Cortices In The Ferret, Meng Y. Wang
Cross-Modal Projections From Auditory To Visual Cortices In The Ferret, Meng Y. Wang
Theses and Dissertations
Recent studies have shown that neuronal connections occur between primary auditory and visual cortices of the primate (Falchier et al., 2002; Rockland and Ojima, 2003), and it has been suggested that these projections are involved in multisensory processing in these lower-level, core areas of cortex. The present study was conducted to determine if similar connections occur in other higher mammals such as carnivores (ferrets; Mustela putorius). Large injections of sensitive neuroanatomical tracer were placed within the core areas of auditory cortex in 3 ferrets. After transport and processing, labeled axon terminals were found not in primary visual cortex, but in …
Combinatorial Modulation Of Multiple Signaling Pathways To Gain Therapeutic Response In Breast And Prostate Cell Carcinomas, William Tressel Hawkins Ii
Combinatorial Modulation Of Multiple Signaling Pathways To Gain Therapeutic Response In Breast And Prostate Cell Carcinomas, William Tressel Hawkins Ii
Theses and Dissertations
Our laboratory is primarily interested in novel pharmacological intervention of cell proliferation and survival pathways expressed in various types of cancer. These cyto-protective pathways can be activated in response to growth factor stimulation, toxic insult and radiation. In our studies, we utilized novel drug combinations with and without radiation to enhance breast & prostate tumor cell death both in vitro and in vivo. Previous studies from our group have shown that UCN-01 and MEK1/2 inhibitors interact to cause tumor cell death in transformed cell lines in vitro. We extended this observation to an in vivo animal model system using the …
Characterization And Functional Analysis Of A Newly Identified Human Mt5-Mmp Transcript Variant Isolated From Multipotent Nt2 Cells, Heather Hamilton Ross
Characterization And Functional Analysis Of A Newly Identified Human Mt5-Mmp Transcript Variant Isolated From Multipotent Nt2 Cells, Heather Hamilton Ross
Theses and Dissertations
Membrane-type 5 matrix metalloproteinase (MT5-MMP) is unique among MMP family members as it is predominately expressed in the CNS. Its expression is ubiquitous during brain development and restricted to regions of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity in the adult. MT5-MMP is a mediator of pericellular proteolysis and is thought to have a functional impact on neurite outgrowth. The studies presented in this work were designed to examine MT5-MMP expression in cultured NT2 cells, a model of newogenesis and neuronal differentiation, and in adult neurogenic brain regions. We further sought to overexpress MT5-MMP and test the hypothesis that it plays a role in …
The Influence Of A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism In The Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Promoter On Glioma Biology, Jessica Mccready
The Influence Of A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism In The Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Promoter On Glioma Biology, Jessica Mccready
Theses and Dissertations
Glioblastomas are an incurable type of brain tumor with a mean survival time of 9-12 months following diagnosis. One of the reasons for this poor prognosis is the ability of tumor cells to invade the surrounding normal brain tissue. Enzymes responsible for this invasive nature include the matrix metalloproteinase family. MMP-1 is a member of this family which has been well studied in many types of invasive tumors, with gliomas being an exception. We studied a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MMP-1 promoter that may influence glioma biology. This SNP consists of the presence (2G) or absence (1G) of …
A Model For Studying Vasogenic Brain Edema, Anshu Shukla
A Model For Studying Vasogenic Brain Edema, Anshu Shukla
Theses and Dissertations
Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a proven method for targeted drug delivery to the brain that circumvents the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Little study has been conducted in understanding CED in pathological brain states. This is of importance when dealing with chemotherapeutic agent delivery to brain tumors, where vasogenic edema (VE) exists. The current study aims to characterize a model of VE suitable for studying CED.VE was produced in the right hemisphere of the rat brain using multiple infusions of hyperosmotic mannitol (0.25mL/kg/s over 30 seconds) delivered through the right internal carotid artery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed consistent edema formation and …
The Effect Of Silencing The Wilms' Tumor 1 Gene On The Radiation Sensitivity Of Glioblastoma Cells, Dana C. Chan
The Effect Of Silencing The Wilms' Tumor 1 Gene On The Radiation Sensitivity Of Glioblastoma Cells, Dana C. Chan
Theses and Dissertations
Glioblastomas are among the most devastating of human cancers with a median survival of only 9-12 months. This type of brain tumor is incurable, largely due its remarkable proliferative capacity and resistance to current treatments. High levels of the Wilms' Tumor 1 (WTI) gene have been identified in glioblastomas, suggesting an oncogenic function. Moreover, known WT1 target genes have been implicated in resistance to radiation. To determine the role of WT1 in radiation resistance, two glioblastoma cell lines expressing WT1 were treated with siRNAs to silence this gene. Confirmation of WT1 knockdown was achieved through real-time PCR and Western blot. …
Identification And Characterization Of The Expression Profile Of Oligodendrocyte-Derived And Associated Proteins Via Unilateral X-Irradation Of The Rat Optic Nerve, Nicholas Greco
Theses and Dissertations
Recent studies examining cell-cell interactions during CNS development and following disease or trauma have highlighted our limited understanding of the in vivo functions of the myelinating cell of the CNS, the oligodendrocyte. With this in mind, our laboratory has developed techniques by which a profile of proteins derived from or regulated by oligodendrocytes can be elucidated. Specifically, we have demonstrated that oligodendrocytes can be selectively eliminated from one optic nerve of a rat by treating the animal with a unilateral exposure of X-irradiation at the time of birth. Consequently, this approach allowed us to experimentally create, within the same animal, …