Cell and Developmental Biology Commons^™

The Role Of Tumor Suppressors, Ship And Rb, In Immune Suppressive Cells, Michelle Marie Collazo Ruiz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) have been extensively studied in the past 30-40 years. Their potent suppressive capacity shown in several pathological and clinical settings, such as cancer and transplantation, has made it evident that better understanding their development and function is critical.

Specifically, Tregs play a pivotal role in preventing autoimmunity, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and organ graft rejection. We previously demonstrated that germline or induced SH2 domain-containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP) deficiency in the host abrogates GvHD. Here we show that SHIP-deficiency promotes an increase of FoxP3+ cells in both the CD4+CD25+ and the CD4+CD25- T …

Expression Of 14-3-3 Protein Isoforms In Mouse Oocytes, Eggs And Ovarian Follicular Development, Santanu De, Jennifer Marcinkiewicz, Srinivasan Vijayaraghavan, Douglas Kline

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) proteins are a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed family of proteins. Seven mammalian isoforms of 14-3-3 are known (β, γ, ε, ζ, η, τ and, σ). These proteins associate with many intracellular proteins involved in a variety of cellular processes including regulation of the cell cycle, metabolism and protein trafficking. We are particularly interested in the role of 14-3-3 in meiosis in mammalian eggs and the role 14-3-3 proteins may play in ovarian function. Therefore, we examined the expression of 14-3-3 proteins in mouse oocyte and egg extracts by Western blotting after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, viewed fixed …

Heterogeneity In Mitochondrial Morphology And Membrane Potential Is Independent Of The Nuclear Division Cycle In Multinucleate Fungal Cells, John P. Gerstenberger, Patricia Occhipinti, Amy S. Gladfelter

Dartmouth Scholarship

In the multinucleate filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii, nuclei divide asynchronously in a common cytoplasm. We hypothesize that the division cycle machinery has a limited zone of influence in the cytoplasm to promote nuclear autonomy. Mitochondria in cultured mammalian cells undergo cell cycle-specific changes in morphology and membrane potential and therefore can serve as a reporter of the cell cycle state of the cytoplasm. To evaluate if the cell cycle state of nuclei in A. gossypii can influ

Tumor Suppression By Cell Competition Through Regulation Of The Hippo Pathway, Chiao-Lin Chen, Molly C. Schroeder, Madhuri Kango-Singh, Chunyao Tao, Georg Halder

Biology Faculty Publications

Homeostatic mechanisms can eliminate abnormal cells to prevent diseases such as cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of this surveillance are poorly understood. Here we investigated how clones of cells mutant for the neoplastic tumor suppressor gene scribble (scrib) are eliminated from Drosophila imaginal discs. When all cells in imaginal discs are mutant for scrib, they hyperactivate the Hippo pathway effector Yorkie (Yki), which drives growth of the discs into large neoplastic masses. Strikingly, when discs also contain normal cells, the scrib− cells do not overproliferate and eventually undergo apoptosis through JNK-dependent mechanisms. However, induction of apoptosis does …

[Accepted Article Manuscript Version (Postprint)] Plant Peroxisomes: Biogenesis And Function, Jianping Hu, Alison Baker, Bonnie Bartel, Nicole Linka, Robert Mullen, Sigrun Reumann, Bethany Zolman

Biology Department Faculty Works

Peroxisomes are eukaryotic organelles that are highly dynamic both in morphology and metabolism. Plant peroxisomes are involved in numerous processes, including primary and secondary metabolism, development, and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Considerable progress has been made in the identification of factors involved in peroxisomal biogenesis, revealing mechanisms that are both shared with and diverged from non-plant systems. Furthermore, recent advances have begun to reveal an unexpectedly large plant peroxisomal proteome and have increased our understanding of metabolic pathways in peroxisomes. Coordination of the biosynthesis, import, biochemical activity, and degradation of peroxisomal proteins allows for highly dynamic responses of …

Bursicon, Metamorphosis And Development Of Resilin In The Fruit Fly, David Paul Anthony Neff

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Hovering flight is the primary form of locomotion in the numerous and diverse forms of winged insects. A specialized elastic protein, Resilin, contributes to flight mechanics in most described insect orders. Although many studies have inferred functions of Resilin in insect flight, we report the first direct evidence that Resilin is a necessary component in flight mechanics of the fruit fly. We have successfully knocked down Resilin synthesis with RNAi and have generated a new resilin deletion mutant Df(2R)anhedral. By disturbing the formation of the Resilin rich tergopleural tendon, we have shown that Resilin functions in wing control. We also …

Basic Concepts In Understanding Recovery Of Function In Vestibular Reflex Networks During Vestibular Compensation, Kenna D. Peusner, Mei Shao, Rebecca Reddaway, June C. Hirsch

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Unilateral peripheral vestibular lesions produce a syndrome of oculomotor and postural deficits with the symptoms at rest, the static symptoms, partially or completely normalizing shortly after the lesion due to a process known as vestibular compensation. The symptoms are thought to result from changes in the activity of vestibular sensorimotor reflexes. Since the vestibular nuclei must be intact for recovery to occur, many investigations have focused on studying these neurons after lesions. At present, the neuronal plasticity underlying early recovery from the static symptoms is not fully understood. Here we propose that knowledge of the reflex identity and input–output connections …

Targeting The Cancer Cell Cycle By Cold Atmospheric Plasma, Olga Volotskova, Teresa S. Hawley, Mary Ann Stepp, Michael Keidar

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), a technology based on quasi-neutral ionized gas at low temperatures, is currently being evaluated as a new highly selective alternative addition to existing cancer therapies. Here, we present a first attempt to identify the mechanism of CAP action. CAP induced a robust ~2-fold G2/M increase in two different types of cancer cells with different degrees of tumorigenicity. We hypothesize that the increased sensitivity of cancer cells to CAP treatment is caused by differences in the distribution of cancer cells and normal cells within the cell cycle. The expression of γH2A.X (pSer139), an oxidative stress reporter indicating …

Bacterial Host Interactions In Cystic Fibrosis, Máire Callaghan, Siobhan Mcclean

Articles

Chronic infection is a hallmark of cystic fibrosis (CF) and the main contributor to morbidity. Microbial infection in CF is complex, due to the number of different species that colonise the CF lung. Their colonisation is facilitated by a host response that is impaired or compromised by highly viscous mucous, zones of hypoxia and the lack of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR). Successful dominant CF pathogens combine an effective arsenal to establish infection and counter-attack the host response, together with an ability to adapt readily to an unfavourable environment. Hypermutability is common among CF pathogens facilitating adaptation and as …

Estradiol Modulation Of Calcium Dynamics In Pituitary Mmq Lactotroph Cells, Monika Pauckova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pituitary lactotrophs are excitable cells that exhibit spontaneous, calcium influx triggering prolactin (PRL) secretion to stimulate lactation. Lactotrophs express estrogen receptors (ER) and are a well established estrogen-responsive cell system. 17B-estradiol (E2) is known to directly affect lactotrophs by increasing PRL transcription and biosynthesis, intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and PRL secretion. This study demonstrates that the MMQ clonal cell line, isolated from the 7315a rat pituitary tumor, is a model lactotroph cell line that is E2-responsive. Spontaneous and evoked Ca2+ transients were especially sensitive to L-type channel block, but not affected by block of omega-conotoxin-GVIA-sensitive CaV channels or TTX-sensitive voltage-gated …

Using Comparative Genomics For Inquiry-Based Learning To Dissect Virulence Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 And Yersinia Pestis, David Baumler, Lois Banta, Kai Hung, Jodi Schwarz, Eric Cabot, Jeremy Glasner, Nicole Perna

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Genomics and bioinformatics are topics of increasing interest in undergraduate biological science curricula. Many existing exercises focus on gene annotation and analysis of a single genome. In this paper, we present two educational modules designed to enable students to learn and apply fundamental concepts in comparative genomics using examples related to bacterial pathogenesis. Students first examine alignments of genomes of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains isolated from three food-poisoning outbreaks using the multiple-genome alignment tool Mauve. Students investigate conservation of virulence factors using the Mauve viewer and by browsing annotations available at the A Systematic Annotation Package for Community Analysis of …

Novel Report Of Expression And Function Of Cd97 In Malignant Gliomas: Correlation With Wilms Tumor 1 Expression And Glioma Cell Invasiveness Laboratory Investigation, Archana Chidambaram, Helen L. Fillmore, Timothy E. Van Meter, Catherine I. Dumur, William C. Broaddus

Division of Research and Economic Development Faculty & Staff Publications

Object. The Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) protein—a developmentally regulated transcription factor—is aberrantly expressed in gliomas and promotes their malignant phenotype. However, little is known about the molecular allies that help it mediate its oncogenic functions in glioma cells.

Methods. The authors used short interfering RNA (siRNA) to suppress WT1 expression in glioblastoma (GBM) cells and evaluated the effect of this on GBM cell invasiveness. Gene expression analysis was then used to identify the candidate genes that were altered as a result of WT1 silencing. One candidate target, CD97, was then selected for further investigation into its role by suppressing …

Elucidating The Role Of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins And B-Lymphocyte Maturation Protein 1 During Primordial Germ Cell Specification, Laughing Bear Torrez Dulgeroff

Theses Digitization Project

This study will present an optimized protocol to induce and isolate primordial germ cells (PGC) from hESC and hiPSC. Human embrionic stem cells (hESC and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) provide a model for studying paradigms of early development.

Elucidating The Effects Of Tobacco Products On Skeletal Development, Nicole Renee Sparks

Theses Digitization Project

The overall goal of this thesis project is to characterize the molecular mechanisms of tobacco product induced skeletal teratogenicity.

Limb Bone Geometry And Skeletal Physiology In Mice Bred For High Levels Of Activity, Brittney Racheal Coats

Theses Digitization Project

The studies presented here evaluate the effects of exercise and genetics on biomechanically important traits and the skeletal system's role in maintaining proper metabolic health. The goal of the project presented here is to further our understanding of the leptin-bone-insulin pathway and relevant changes that may occur in this pathway as a result of exercise. Cross-sectional analyses of HR mice and control mice allowed or denied wheel access for 10 weeks, revealed significant differences in biomechanical properties.

Perceptual Enhancement Of Arteriovenous Malformation In Mri Angiography Displays, Abhari Kamyar, John S. H. Baxter, Roy Eagleson, Terry Peters, Sandrine De Ribaupierre

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The importance of presenting medical images in an intuitive and usable manner during a procedure is essential. However, most medical visualization interfaces, particularly those designed for minimally-invasive surgery, suffer from a number of issues as a consequence of disregarding the human perceptual, cognitive, and motor system's limitations. This matter is even more prominent when human visual system is overlooked during the design cycle. One example is the visualization of the neuro-vascular structures in MR angiography (MRA) images. This study investigates perceptual performance in the usability of a display to visualize blood vessels in MRA volumes using a contour enhancement technique. …

Biophysical And Biochemical Factors In The Cellular Microenvironment; Effects On Cell Migration And Invasion, Shalini Menon

Wayne State University Dissertations

Cellular migration is a vital process central to many physiological events including development, immune surveillance and wound healing. However, migration and invasion are not unique to normal physiology, they are also key determinants in the progression of disease states such as cancer. Given the significance of migration it is important that we understand how the process is regulated intracellularly and the various stimuli that can promote it. Even though the role of biochemical factors in mediating migration has been studied extensively, the role of biophysical factors in modulating migration and invasion is less appreciation. The biochemical and biophysical components of …

Effective Non-Viral Delivery Of Sirna To Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells With Lipid-Substituted Polyethylenimines, Breanne Landry

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising approach for AML treatment as the siRNA molecule can be designed to specifically target proteins that contribute to aberrant cell proliferation in this disease. However, a clinical-relevant means of delivering siRNA molecules must be developed, as the cellular delivery of siRNA is problematic. Here, we report amphiphilic carriers combining a cationic polymer (2 kDa polyethyleneimine, PEI2) with lipophilic moieties to facilitate intracellular delivery of siRNA to AML cell lines. Complete binding of siRNA by the designed carriers was achieved at a polymer:siRNA ratio of ~0.5 and led to siRNA/polymer complexes of …

Cellular Plasticity In White Adipose Tissue: In Vivo Identification Of Bipotent Adipocyte Progenitors In Adult White Adipose Tissue, Yun-Hee Lee

Wayne State University Dissertations

Nutritional and pharmacological stimuli can dramatically alter the cellular composition and phenotype of white adipose tissue (WAT). Nonetheless, the identity of progenitors that contribute to this cellular plasticity in vivo remains poorly understood. Utilizing genetic lineage tracing techniques in combination with in situ imunohistochemical analysis, we demonstrate that brown adipocytes (BA) that are induced by beta3-adrenergic receptor activation (ADRB3) in WAT arise from the proliferation and differentiation of cells that express platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), CD34 and Sca1 (PDGFRA+ cells). PDGFRA+ cells have a unique morphology in which extended processes contact multiple cells in the tissue microenvironment. Surprisingly, …

Chemotherapy: The Physiological Cost Of A Cure, Megan Ellis

A with Honors Projects

This project focuses on the common long term side effects of cancer treatments, apart from cure. In addition to physiological function changes, it focuses on the chemical composition of chemotherapy drugs.