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
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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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