Astrocyte response to 3D microenvironments
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Title
Astrocyte response to 3D microenvironments
Author
Balasubramanian , Swarnalatha
Advisors
Leach , Jennie B ;
Program
Engineering, Chemical and Biochemical
UMBC Department
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Document Type
dissertation
Sponsors
University of Maryland , Baltimore County (UMBC)
Keywords
3D collagen ; Astrocyte ; ECM ; FGF ; heterogeneity ; Radial glia
Date Issued
2014-01-01
Abstract
Nerve injuries can be catastrophic as neurons in the adult human do not divide ; therefore , neurons lost due to injury cannot be replaced by innate healing processes . Current therapeutic treatments to repair traumatic brain injury consist of rehabilitative , cellular and molecular therapies . However , these approaches target only some aspects of the injury and are not completely restorative . We propose a change in direction : to induce nerve regeneration , we focus on astrocytes , support cells in the central nervous system (CNS) . We aim to harness immature astrocytes to recapitulate cues that were present in the developing brain but disrupted or lost in the adult brain injury environment . We characterized newborn mouse astrocytes in two conditions , traditional two-dimensional glass coverslips and three-dimensional (3D) hydrogels . We present quantitative data supporting that 3D culture is critical for sustaining the heterogeneity of astrocytes . We also report that fibroblast growth factor induced astrocytes encapsulated in 3D hydrogels can recapitulate developmental cues and modify the hydrogel into an environment essential for neurite outgrowth and guidance . This work is a major step towards understanding key parameters that guide astrocyte development and nerve regeneration and provides a foundation to design improved strategies for CNS injury and neurodegenerative disorders .
Identifier
11180
Format
application:pdf
Language
en
Collection
UMBC Thesis and Dissertations
Rights Statement
This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is made available by UMBC for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please see http://library.umbc.edu/speccoll/rightsreproductions.php or contact Special Collections at speccoll(at)umbc.edu.
Source
Balasubramanian_umbc_0434D_11180.pdf
Access Rights
Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan through a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
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