| Dissertation |
Thesis (Ph.D.) --NUI, 2010 at Department of Anatomy, UCC. |
| Summary |
In the present study, a novel spinal cord slice co-culture was developed to investigate the migratory behavior and differentiation of neuroepithelial progenitor (NEP) cells in the developing spinal cord. Organotypic spinal cord slices were found to be viable for up to seven days in culture. A transgenic mouse line expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein under the control of the β-actin promoter was used to visualize E12 eGFP NEP cells co-cultured with E12, E14, E16 and E18 organotypic spinal cord slices. The co-cultured cells survived and integrated within the spinal cord slices. A quantitative analysis using time lapse confocal microscopy and 3D image analysis software revealed distinct changes in the migration and differentiation of co-cultured NEP cells in the different stages of spinal cord development. The co-cultured E12 eGFP NEP cells differentiated more rapidly with increasing embryonic spinal cord slice age. The velocity, migratory length and displacement of the co-cultured E12 eGFP NEP cells was investigated in real time in E12 and E18 spinal cord slices. The analysis revealed fast tangentially migrating cells and slower radially migrating cells undergoing locomotion and somal translocation. The co-cultured E12 eGFP cells exhibited degrees of saltatory and constant cell migration. Saltatory migrating cells migrated at much higher velocities than cells migrating with constant velocities. The co-cultured cells displayed decreased migratory lengths and displacements in the E18 slices and they also exhibited altered trajectories. The expression of brain lipid binding protein (BLBP) in the co-cultured E12 eGFP NEP cells was also investigated. The ability of NEP cells to alter their migration, differentiation and expression patterns within embryonic microenvironments of different ages, highlights their plastic nature and ability to respond to temporally expressed extrinsic signals. |
| Subject |
Spinal cord -- Anatomy.
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| Collection |
Theses Ph.D.
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Theses Anatomy Department
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| Description |
292 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. + 1 cd-rom 4 3/4 in. |
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