Development of Imaging Protocols for Neural Progenitor Cell Xenotransplantation
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The Honors project is potentially the most valuable component of an Honors education. Typically Honors students choose to do their projects in their area of study, but some will pick a topic of interest unrelated to their major.
The Honors Program requires that the project be presented at a poster presentation event. Poster presentations are held each semester. Most students present during their senior year, but may do so earlier if their honors project has been completed.
This site presents project descriptions and selected posters for Honors projects completed since the Fall 2015 semester.
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Abstract
Adult hippocampal progenitor cells (AHPCs) can become three different cell types: neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. The goal of this study is to determine whether external or internal factors are more prevalent in regulating cell differentiation, and if AHPCs can differentiate into alternative cell types under appropriate conditions. The AHPCs were transplanted into zebrafish blastulas. The blastula is a permissive environment for transplanted cells to grow and differentiate. The embryos were whole-mount imaged after immunohistochemistry to determine cell localization and type. The embryos were also sectioned to acquire more detailed images. A novel protocol was designed in which test embryos were immunolabeled, whole-mount imaged, and cryosectioned at three time points. The labeling was maintained in the vasculature in in both whole and sectioned embryos. An in vitro experiment was performed to observe if AHPCs maintain homogeneity over time, ensuring that the same cell type was transplanted in each experiment. Immunocytochemistry at the same three time points demonstrated that AHPCs maintain their progenitor cell identity in culture. The techniques established here will be used to determine the factors affecting cell differentiation. The manipulation of these factors to produce desired cell phenotypes may then be used to promote regeneration and repair.