Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

Use And Misuse Of Material Transfer Agreements: Lessons In Proportionality From Research, Repositories, And Litigation, Tania M. Bubela, Jenilee Guebert, Amrita Mishra

Office of the Provost

Material transfer agreements exist to facilitate the exchange of materials and associated data between researchers as well as to protect the interests of the researchers and their institutions. But this dual mandate can be a source of frustration for researchers, creating administrative burdens and slowing down collaborations. We argue here that in most cases in pre-competitive research, a simple agreement would suffice; the more complex agreements and mechanisms for their negotiation should be reserved for cases where the risks posed to the institution and the potential commercial value of the research reagents is high.

Cytometric Characterization Of Circulating Tumor Cells Captured By Microfiltration And Their Correlation To The Cellsearch(®) Ctc Test., Daniel L Adams, Steingrimur Stefansson, Christian Haudenschild, Stuart S Martin, Monica Charpentier, Saranya Chumsri, Massimo Cristofanilli, Cha-Mei Tang, R Katherine Alpaugh

Pathology Faculty Publications

Recent studies reporting hundreds, to thousands, of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of cancer patients have raised questions regarding the prevalence of CTCs, as enumerated by the CellSearch(®) CTC Test. Although CellSearch has been shown to consistently detect clinically relevant CTCs; the ability to only capture EpCAM positive cells has led to speculation that it captures limited subsets of CTCs. In contrast, alternative approaches to CTC isolation are often cited as capturing large numbers of CTCs from patient blood. Not surprisingly the number of cells isolated by alternative approaches show poor correlations when compared to CellSearch, even when …

Cell Viability Assessment Using The Alamar Blue Assay: A Comparison Of 2d And 3d Cell Culture Models, Franck Bonnier, Mark Keating, Tomasz P. Wrobel, Katarsyna Majzner, Malgorzata Baranska, Amaya Garcia, Alfonso Blanco, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Comparisons of 2D and 3D cell culture models in literature have indicated differences in cellular morphology and metabolism, commonly attributed the better representation of in vivo conditions of the latter cell culture environment. Thus, interest in the use of 3D collagen gels for in vitro analysis has been growing. Although comparative studies to date have indicated an enhanced resistance of cells on collagen matrices against different toxicants, in the present study it is demonstrated that non-adapted protocols can lead to misinterpretation of results obtained from classical colorometric dye-based cytotoxic assays. Using the well established Alamar Blue assay, the …

Trehalose Is A Chemical Attractant In The Establishment Of Coral Symbiosis, M. Hagedorn, V. Carter, N. Zuchowicz, M. Phillips, C. Penfield, B. Shamenek, Elizabeth A. Vallen, F. W. Kleinhans, K. Peterson, M. White, P. H. Yancey

Biology Faculty Works

Coral reefs have evolved with a crucial symbiosis between photosynthetic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium) and their cnidarian hosts (Scleractinians). Most coral larvae take up Symbiodinium from their environment; however, the earliest steps in this process have been elusive. Here we demonstrate that the disaccharide trehalose may be an important signal from the symbiont to potential larval hosts. Symbiodinium freshly isolated from Fungia scutaria corals constantly released trehalose (but not sucrose, maltose or glucose) into seawater, and released glycerol only in the presence of coral tissue. Spawning Fungia adults increased symbiont number in their immediate area by excreting pellets of Symbiodinium, and …

The Effects Of Actomyosin Disruptors On The Mechanical Integrity Of The Avian Crystalline Lens, Gah-Jone Won, Douglas S. Fudge, Vivian Choh

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: Actin and myosin within the crystalline lens maintain the structural integrity of lens fiber cells and form a hexagonal lattice cradling the posterior surface of the lens. The actomyosin network was pharmacologically disrupted to examine the effects on lenticular biomechanics and optical quality. Methods: One lens of 7-day-old White Leghorn chickens was treated with 10 μM of a disruptor and the other with 0.01% dimethyl sulfoxide (vehicle). Actin, myosin, and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) disruptors were used. The stiffness and the optical quality of the control and treated lenses were measured. Western blotting and confocal imaging …

Targeting Cell Cycle Proteins In Breast Cancer Cells With Sirna By Using Lipid-Substituted Polyethylenimines, Manoj Parmar, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Parvin Mahdipoor, Cezary Kucharski, Robert Maranchuk, Judith C. Hugh, Hasan Uludag

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The cell cycle proteins are key regulators of cell cycle progression whose de-regulation is one of the causes of breast cancer. RNA interference (RNAi) is an endogenous mechanism to regulate gene expression and it could serve as the basis of regulating aberrant proteins including cell cycle proteins. Since the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a main barrier for implementation of RNAi therapy, we explored the potential of a non-viral delivery system, 2.0 kDa polyethylenimines substituted with linoleic acid and caprylic acid, for this purpose. Using a library of siRNAs against cell cycle proteins, we identified cell division cycle …

The Use Of Stem Cells In Burn Wound Healing: A Review, Fadi Ghieh, Rosalyn A. Jurjus, Amir Ibrahim, Alice Gerges Geagea, Hisham Daouk, Bassel El Baba, Sana Cham, Michel Matar, Wadih Zein, Abdo Jurjus

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Burn wound healing involves a series of complex processes which are subject to intensive investigations to improve the outcomes, in particular, the healing time and the quality of the scar. Burn injuries, especially severe ones, are proving to have devastating effects on the affected patients. Stem cells have been recently applied in the field to promote superior healing of the wounds. Not only have stem cells been shown to promote better and faster healing of the burn wounds, but also they have decreased the inflammation levels with less scar progression and fibrosis. This review aims to highlight the beneficial therapeutic …

Assign: Context-Specific Genomic Profiling Of Multiple Heterogeneous Biological Pathways, Ying Shen, Mumtahena Rahman, Stephen R. Piccolo, Daniel Gusenleitner, Nader N. El-Chaar, Luis Cheng, Stefano Monti, Andrea H. Bild, W. Evan Johnson

Faculty Publications

Motivation: Although gene-expression signature-based biomarkers are often developed for clinical diagnosis, many promising signatures fail to replicate during validation. One major challenge is that biological samples used to generate and validate the signature are often from heterogeneous biological contexts—controlled or in vitro samples may be used to generate the signature, but patient samples may be used for validation. In addition, systematic technical biases from multiple genome-profiling platforms often mask true biological variation. Addressing such challenges will enable us to better elucidate disease mechanisms and provide improved guidance for personalized therapeutics.

Results: Here, we present a pathway profiling toolkit, Adaptive Signature …

The Leishmania Years At Unl (Or, My Life As A Cell Biologist, 1966-1981), John J. Janovy Jr.

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Slides for a talk during which Professor Janovy discussed the methods he used in researching Leishmania during the years 1966-1981. Includes lists of references.

Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis In The Mdx/Utrn Plus /- Mouse Validates Its Suitability As A Murine Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Kelly M. Gutpell, William T. Hrinivich, Lisa M. Hoffman

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Various therapeutic approaches have been studied for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), but none of these approaches have led to significant long-term effects in patients. One reason for this observed inefficacy may be the use of inappropriate animal models for the testing of therapeutic agents. The mdx mouse is the most widely used murine model of DMD, yet it does not model the fibrotic progression observed in patients. Other murine models of DMD are available that lack one or both alleles of utrophin, a functional analog of dystrophin. The aim of this study was to compare fibrosis and …

Gene Expression Patterns That Support Novel Developmental Stress Buffering In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Josiah T. Wagner, Jason E. Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: The cellular signaling mechanisms and morphogenic movements involved in axis formation and gastrulation are well conserved between vertebrates. In nearly all described fish, gastrulation and the initial patterning of the embryonic axis occur concurrently with epiboly. However, annual killifish may be an exception to this norm. Annual killifish inhabit ephemeral ponds in South America and Africa and permanent populations persist by the production of stress-tolerant eggs. Early development of annual killifish is unique among vertebrates because their embryonic blastomeres disperse randomly across the yolk during epiboly and reaggregate several days later to form the embryo proper. In addition, annual …

Habituation Mechanisms And Their Importance For Cognitive Function, Susanne Schmid, Donald A. Wilson, Catharine H. Rankin

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

No abstract provided.

The Proteomic Response In The Crustacean Molting Gland Of Land Crab Gecarcinus Lateralis In Response To Artificially Induced Molting Throughout Its Molting Cycle., Andrea Reider, Talia B. Head, Lars Tomanek, Donald L. Mykles

STAR Program Research Presentations

Molting in crustaceans is a highly complex physiological process involving negative regulation by two paired endocrine glands, the X-organ/sinus gland complex (XO/SG) and the Y-organ (YO). The XO/SG complex is responsible for making molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) which negatively regulates synthesis of molting hormones (ecdysteroids) by the YO. Eyestalk ablation (ESA) removes the source of MIH and provides an experimental means to manipulate and induce molting, although the physiological effects of ESA on the YO have not been fully characterized. Analysis of gene expression in the XOs and YOs has lead to the development of a proposed molecular signaling pathway which …

Epigenetic Role Of Ptip In Mouse Spermatogenesis, Chengjing Liu

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In mammals, spermatogenesis is a biological process inside the testis to produce spermatozoa from spermatogonia. This process is governed by both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and thus is a powerful system for epigenetic research. Methylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) is an epigenetic mark, which has been found to be dynamically modulated in mouse male germ cells during spermatogenesis. Pax2 Transactivation domain Interaction Protein (PTIP) has been recently identified as part of a H3K4 methyltransferase complex. In this study, I hypothesize that PTIP is an essential epigenetic regulator in mouse spermatogenesis. To test this hypothesis, I first established a …

Once Upon A Microscopic Slide: The Story Of Histology, Inaya Hussein, Mohamad Raad, Rawan Safa, Rosalyn A. Jurjus, Abdo Jurjus

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

For centuries, histology has maintained its remarkable place in the medical curriculum. However, its teaching has been influenced by the new technological advancement that has reshaped medicine teaching into a more modern student-friendly form. Since its inception in the 18th century, the discipline of histology has progressed hand in hand with the advancements in microscopy and microscopic technologies, including immunohistochemistry. In the traditional curriculum of USA medical schools, especially after the first Flexner’s report of 1910, histology was considered as very essential topic for a physician studying the “Art and Science” of medicine. In this era, the teaching relied more …

Regulation Of Synaptogenesis By The Mirna Pathway And Fmr/P Bodies, Jacqueline Rochelle Furlong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA is facilitated by different mechanisms, such as microRNA (miRNA) induced gene silencing or fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) mediated repression either independent of or acting through cytoplasmic RNA Processing bodies (P bodies). DPTP99A, Lar, and Wg have known functions during synaptogenesis and may be targets of miR-8. Here, we provide evidence that miR-8 regulates DPTP99A in vitro. Non-endogenous miR-8 expressed using an UAS driver regulates Lar. Endogenous miR-8 may regulate DPTP99A in vivo. Here we show that FMRP is capable of colocalizing with the P body components: DCP1, HPat, and Me31B, but not …

Rab8 Directs Tubulation And Furrow Ingression During Epithelial Formation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lauren Mackenzie Mavor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most fundamental changes in cell morphology is the formation of a plasma membrane furrow. The Drosophila embryo undergoes several cycles of rapid furrow ingression during early development, which culminates in the formation of an epithelial sheet. Previous studies have demonstrated the requirement for intracellular trafficking pathways in furrow ingression; however, the pathways that link compartmental behaviors with cortical furrow ingression events have remained unclear. This research shows that Rab8, a small GTPase associated with late exocytic trafficking events, demonstrates striking dynamic behaviors in vivo; transitioning from punctate structures to a stable association with the cortex during …

Clinical Significance Of A Point Mutation In Dna Polymerase Beta (Polb) Gene In Gastric Cancer., Xiaohui Tan, Hongyi Wang, Guangbin Luo, Shuyang Ren, Wenmei Li, Jiantao Cui, Harindarpal S. Gill, Sidney W. Fu, Youyong Lu

Medicine Faculty Publications

Gastric cancer (GC) is a major cause of global cancer mortality. Genetic variations in DNA repair genes can modulate DNA repair capability and, consequently, have been associated with risk of developing cancer. We have previously identified a T to C point mutation at nucleotide 889 (T889C) in DNA polymerase beta (POLB) gene, a key enzyme involved in base excision repair in primary GCs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mutation and expression of POLB in a larger cohort and to identify possible prognostic roles of the POLB alterations in GC. Primary GC specimens and their matched normal …

New Evidence That Bimanual Motor Timing Performance Is Not A Significant Factor In Developmental Stuttering, Allison Ilice Hilger

Open Access Theses

Stuttering is a disorder that involves a breakdown in the speech-motor system, resulting in disfluencies such as part- and whole-word repetitions, prolongations, and blocks. This study addresses the question regarding whether this motor breakdown is specific to the speech-motor system, or more generalized across motor systems. As an expansion of Olander, Smith, and Zelaznik (2010), we measured bimanual motor timing performance in 115 children: 70 children who stutter (CWS) and 45 children who do not stutter (CWNS). The children were followed for five years of the study by completing a clapping task using a synchronization-continuation paradigm. Two analyses were completed. …

Alternative Extraction Method Of Guanidine Metabolites From Marine Sponge, Ptilocaulis Spiculifer, Savannah Barnett, Andrew A. Yeagley, Amorette Barber

Theses & Honors Papers

Marine sponges are known for their use of biologically active allelopathic compounds. With almost every species of sponge having been shown to produce some chemical with medicinal properties, their survival is becoming increasingly important. Current extraction methods used by research teams require a large sample relative to the size of the sponge, which threatens the survival of the organism. 1 Ptilocaulis sp., or the orange tree sponge, is known to produce guanidine metabolites. This derivative has demonstrated biological activity against cell lines of leukemia, uterine, and cervical cancer.2 3 In this study we have developed a method for the chemical …