Developmental Biology Commons^™

Evaluation Of Nutrient Digestibility Of Weaned Calves From Early And Late Shedding Dams, Jennifer Keele

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have investigated several factors that could alter fetal growth, including nutrient restriction (Valiente et al., 2021), hair shedding (Gray et al., 2011), and extreme hot and cold temperatures (Davidson et al., 2022). Hot temperatures and increased humidity percentages in the southeast United States caused researchers to investigate the hair coats of Angus cattle in the commercial production setting. An improvement in fiber digestibility and calf birth and weaning weights has been observed in Angus dams that shed 50% of the winter hair coat by May (Gray et al., 2011; Burnett et al., 2021). Our objective of this experiment was …

Examining Transcriptional Regulators During Muscle Development In Drosophila Melanogaster, Chaamy Yapa

Student Theses and Dissertations

In Drosophila melanogaster embryos, a distinct approach to study the transcriptional regulation is to examine the larval somatic muscle development. Transcription factors are essential regulatory proteins that help to control gene expression and respond to signaling pathways and various cues. Today, there are at least twenty transcription factors that have been discovered to contribute to the development of the 30 distinct larval somatic muscles in each abdominal hemisegment of Drosophila melanogaster. Several studies have already been conducted on muscle regulatory transcription factors including midline and apterous. These transcription factors were shown to control the development of muscles through mutant …

Mitochondrial Roles In Developmentally Programmed Heart Disease, Eli John Louwagie

Dissertations and Theses

Offspring of diabetic and obese mothers (ODOM) have greater risks of heart disease at birth and later in life. However, prevention is hindered because underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Mounting studies in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease field suggest that mitochondria play key roles in developmentally programmed heart disease similar to the roles they play in cardiomyopathy in adults with diabetes and obesity. However, whether mitochondria are responsible for the short[1]and long-term cardiac disease seen in ODOM remains unknown. Here, we sought to delineate the roles of mitochondria in the hearts of ODOM, determine whether mitochondria are playing …

Measuring Energy Demands Of Dynamic Remodeling Events During Embryogenesis In Live Drosophila Embryos, Grayson Young

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Embryonic development is a complex process requiring dynamic cell movements to create complex tissue structures. We assume that these embryonic dynamic remodeling events are highly energy intensive and that this energy expenditure is mediated by mitochondria. However, this has been difficult to demonstrate in live embryos. Convergent extension of the Drosophila neuroectoderm is a promising system to study the bioenergetics of tissue remodeling because it changes from a static to a dynamically remodeling tissue with temporal precision. We hypothesize that the switch from static to dynamic development at the onset of convergent extension will be accompanied by an increase in …

Gonads Without Glp-1: Silencing Glp-1 In The Male Somatic Gonad In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Matthew Titus

Undergraduate Theses

In C. elegans, the gene glp-1 encodes for a Notch receptor called GLP-1, one of two found in C. elegans’ genome. The gene has been previously implicated in the development of the hermaphroditic germline as well as playing a role in the mitosis/meiosis decision. Genetic screening has further identified it as potentially playing a role in the development of the male somatic gonad, making it an ideal candidate for a reverse genetic. We did this by silencing glp-1 and observing if any alterations to the gonad’s phenotype occur.

Normally this could be done by performing a gene knockout. …

Understanding The Expression And Role Of Pros-1 In The Male Gonad Of C. Elegans, Jack Bozik

Undergraduate Theses

The gene pros-1 is a transcription factor that is highly expressed within neuronal sheath cells, glial cells, and excretory canal cells. pros-1 plays a role in cell determination of those cell types in the nematode C. elegans, which promotes organismal development. But the degree to which pros-1 presence is important is still not fully understood, because there are many genes involved in development that when mutated or damaged can result in unexpected phenotypes or even total loss of function to a certain developmental mechanism. What makes pros-1 valuable to research is that it is a functional homologue to a …

Does Oxybenzone Affect The Development Of Sea Urchins Up To The Gastrula Stage, And What Do We Do About It?, Claire Crozier

Honors Projects

Understanding the effects of anthropogenic factors, such as oxybenzone, on sea urchins is extremely important to protect the growth of coral reefs- the ocean’s hotspot for biodiversity. Spawning of sea urchins, Lytechinus variegatus, was induced and eggs were fertilized in different concentrations of oxybenzone contaminated water. 48 hours later, data was collected underneath a light microscope. Observations of the data indicate that oxybenzone negatively affects sea urchin development up until the gastrula stage. Using both my data and knowledge from standing literature, I decided to write a policy analysis paper to answer the question “what should we do regarding sunscreen …

Consciousness, Evolution, And The Self-Organizing Brain, Karen Seymour

Journal of Conscious Evolution

While evolution is guided by natural selection, it is internally driven by self-organizing processes. The brain encompasses these complementary forces and dynamics of evolution in both its structure and dynamics by embodying a historical record of the factors that have shaped it throughout its evolutionary past, as well as by being shaped by selective parameters in real time. Self-organization is evident in not only the brain’s structure and form, but also in the processes that support consciousness. From the convergence of complex structure and the novelty-generating dynamics of chaos that both characterize the brain arises the experience of explicit consciousness, …

Effects Of Withania Somnifera On Zebrafish, Diyari Bekhtyar

Student Works

Withania somnifera (commonly known as Ashwagandha), is a plant in which its root powder is sold as a dietary supplement. It is being commonly used as an anti-anxiety supplement to combat stress. While the sale of Withania somnifera is widely accessible and available throughout the U.S., it is concerning that a number of teens and young adults are taking this supplement without consulting a physician. Previous studies and claims conclude that Withania somnifera has both neuroprotective and antiinflammatory properties in human neuronal cells. We have chosen to test Withania somnifera’s effects on early embryonic development using Danio rerio, zebrafish, as …

Immunohistochemical Investigation Of Wwp1 Expression During Embryonic Heart Development And Its Implications For Cardiac Aging, Savannah L. Bowers

Senior Theses

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality globally, with the aging population being most vulnerable. Cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts mediate pathophysiological changes of cardiac aging including interstitial fibrosis, left ventricular hypertrophy, lethal arrhythmias, and eventual culmination in heart failure. Interestingly, subclinical congenital heart disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, originating in embryonic development, induce accelerated cardiac aging. The diverse developmental origins of cardiac fibroblasts suggest that perturbations in gene expression within this heterogeneous cell population during embryonic heart development have significant consequences for cardiac aging. Previous studies implicate the E3 ubiquitin ligase WWP1, a post-translational regulatory protein, in accelerated cardiac aging. …

Neurogenetic Function Of Host Cell Factor-1, Victoria Lynn Castro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neural precursor cells (NPCs) are the stem-like cells of the developing brain. These cells differentiate into the differentiated cell types of the central nervous system. If disruption occurs in the number of total NPCs formed or their survival, various disorders including learning disabilities, behavioral problems, or epilepsy can occur. This dissertation describes how the HCFC1 gene controls the proliferation and differentiation of NPCs. HCFC1 encodes for a transcriptional co-factor that regulates the growth and metabolism of stem cells, including NPCs. Mutations in HCFC1 cause cblX syndrome, a neural developmental disorder that affects the nervous system and causes microcephaly, epilepsy, and …

Effect Of Soil Microbes On The Growth Of Two Santa Monica Mountain Fern Species During Early Gametophyte Development, Chase Kerstein, Kaitlin Gartrell, Donna Nofziger

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The fern life cycle alternates between two distinct phases: a diploid sporophyte phase and a haploid gametophyte phase. The mature gametophyte is an independent, single-cell layer structure that is photosynthetic. Much of the research on the early development of gametophytes takes place in sterile conditions while research into the effects of the soil microbiome on gametophyte development has not been well characterized. This study examines the interaction between the soil microbiome and early development of two Santa Monica Mountain fern species, Woodwardia fimbriata (Wf) found in riparian streams and Dryopteris arguta (Da) which grow in the chaparral understory. Spores from …

Intellectual Disability Related To De Novo Germline Loss Of The Distal End Of The P-Arm Of Chromosome 17: A Case Report, Eden Pope, Matthew Huertas, Amar Paul, Braden Cunningham, Matthew Jennings, Ryan Perry, Stephanie Chavez, John A. Kriak, Kyle B. Bills, David W. Sant

Annual Research Symposium

Hypothesis/Purpose: In this report we present a case of a 20-year-old female with congenital intellectual disability, stunted growth, and hypothyroidism. Competitive genetic hybridization (CHG) revealed a loss of 17p13.3, and the deletion was not present in either parent. This deletion has not previously been characterized, but mutations on the p-arm of chromosome 17 are responsible for Miller-Dieker Syndrome and Isolated Lissencephaly Sequence, both of which share symptoms in common with the patient.

Methods: Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used for karyotyping and competitive genetic hybridization (CHG). Bioinformatic analysis was carried out using the Genome Data Viewer (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/gdv).

Results: Karyotype was …

A Brief Overview Of Triple A Syndrome, Jamaal Khan

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Triple A Syndrome, also known as AAA Syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by any mutation in the AAAS gene on chromosome 12q13, whose main function is to code for the WD-repeat family regulatory protein, ALADIN. It typically occurs as a group of diseases that are characterized by alacrima, Addison's disease, and achalasia. Alacrima can be defined by a decrease in the amount of tears produced while achalasia is nerve damage in the esophagus that can cause difficulty swallowing. Lastly, Addison's disease is the insufficient production of cortisol and aldosterone produced by the adrenal cortex. There is no …

Methylene Blue Inhibits Cromakalim-Activated K+ Currents In Follicle-Enclosed Oocytes, Dmytro Isaev, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Georg Petroianu, Dietrich Ernst Lorke, Murat Oz

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The effects of methylene blue (MB) on cromakalim-induced K⁺ currents were investigated in follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes. In concentrations ranging from 3–300 μM, MB inhibited K⁺ currents (IC₅₀: 22.4 μM) activated by cromakalim, which activates K_ATP channels. MB inhibited cromakalim-activated K⁺ currents in a noncompetitive and voltage-independent manner. The respective EC₅₀ and slope values for cromakalim-activation of K⁺ currents were 194 ± 21 µM and 0.91 for controls, and 206 ± 24 µM and 0.87 in the presence of 30 μM MB. The inhibition of cromakalim-induced K⁺ currents by MB was not …

Comparison Of In-Vitro 3d Human Embryoids With Current Models For Gastrulation, Jin Park

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Gastrulation is an early morphogenetic process that is conserved across most metazoans and lays out the future body plan through the formation and shaping of the three germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Despite its importance, not much is known about the events surrounding human gastrulation that occurs in utero due to ethical and technical limitations on studying human embryos. Therefore, many researchers have devised protocols for creating in vitro models of gastrulation using embryonic stem cells. Initially starting with mouse embryonic stem cells, the field of in vitro embryo models has advanced rapidly, with protocols using human embryonic stem …

Knockout Of Endospanin 1 Via Crispr In Zebrafish, Danio Rerio, Jared Kittinger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I made endospanin 1 knockout (KO) zebrafish to examine its effects on lipid and bone metabolism. Endospanin 1, or leptin receptor overlapping transcript (leprot), is a cytosolic protein linked to the protein hormone leptin that influences the trafficking of leptin receptors to the plasma membrane of cells. Genes for endospanin and tyrosinase (a pigmentation enzyme) were targeted via a microinjection of guide RNAs and CRISPR Cas9 into zebrafish embryos at 2-4 cell stages. I was able to disrupt the endospanin 1 gene (based upon the disruption of tyrosinase), but very few mutant zebrafish fully developed into adults. Only low KO …

Elucidation Of The Role Of Agouti-Signaling Protein Throughout Folliculogenesis And Early Embryonic Development In Cattle, Heather L. Chaney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The oocyte expresses certain genes during folliculogenesis to regulate the acquisition of oocyte competence. Oocyte competence, which refers to the presence of imperative molecular factors in the oocyte that are critical for high oocyte quality, is directly related to the ability of the oocyte to result in a successful pregnancy following fertilization. Over the past few decades, the development and optimization of assisted reproductive technologies, particularly in vitrofertilization, have enabled the beef and dairy industries to advance cattle genetics and productivity. However, only approximately 40% of bovine embryos will develop to the blastocyst stage in vitro. In addition, bovine embryos …

Gestational Vulnerability To Ozone Air Pollution - A Placental Story, Vishnupriya Alavala, Sarah Brent, Russell Hunter, Matthew J. Campen, Andrew Ottens

Undergraduate Research Posters

About 99% of the global population resides in areas with air pollution surpassing World Health Organization standards. Air pollution is associated with adverse neonatal health outcomes such as low fetal birth weight and an increased risk for maternal pre-eclampsia. A particularly reactive air pollutant is ozone, which forms reactive oxygen species that induce cellular damage. Research exists on the dispersion of reactive oxygen species through the bloodstream leading to fetal vulnerability during pregnancy, specifically via the placenta. Yet, placental and fetal development is a temporal process with varied susceptibility to negative gestational outcomes.

To addressing this gap, our laboratory utilized …

Ros And Sfk Signaling Is Required For Development Of Hematopoietic Stem Cells In Zebrafish, Bradley Williams, Erich Damm

Undergraduate Research Posters

ROS and SFK signaling is required for development of hematopoietic stem cells in zebrafish

Bradley Williams and Erich Damm

Background

Hematopoiesis is the process in which the myriad of mature blood cell types, including erythrocytes and leukocytes, develop from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) throughout the life of an organism. In vertebrates, HSCs originate from endothelial cells lining the floor of the dorsal aorta. This process is referred to as the endothelial to hematopoietic transition and is likely controlled in part by molecular signals from neighboring cells. Investigation into the molecular signaling mechanisms controlling the development of HSCs is critical to …