Tools

LEADER 05273cam a2200613 i 4500

001 on1506074794;

003 OCoLC;

005 20260529024815.0;

006 m o d ;

007 cr unu||||||||;

008 250310s2024 ncua obm 000 0 eng d;

035 a| (OCoLC)1506074794;

096 a| WL 102.8;

049 a| EREE;

100 1 a| Frank, Victoria Elizabeth-Ray,e| author.?| UNAUTHORIZED;

245 14 a| The optimization of Golgi-Cox staining in parallel with immunofluorescence to colocalize the adhesion protein, N-Cadherin, to developing synapses /c| by Victoria Elizabeth~Ray Frank.;

264 1 a| [Greenville, N.C.] :b| [East Carolina University],c| 2024.;

300 a| 1 online resource (86 pages) :b| illustrations (chiefly color);

336 a| textb| txt2| rdacontent;

337 a| computerb| c2| rdamedia;

338 a| online resourceb| cr2| rdacarrier;

347 a| text fileb| application/pdfc| 14.24 MB2| rda;

490 1 a| ECU Brody School of Medicine thesis;

538 a| System requirements: Adobe Reader.;

538 a| Mode of access: World Wide Web.;

502 b| M.B.S.c| East Carolina Universityd| 2024.;

500 a| Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology;

500 a| Advisor: Karen Litwa;

500 a| Title from PDF t.p. (viewed March 26, 2026).;

520 3 a| Numerous neurodevelopmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), exhibit altered synapse formation. Post-mortem brain samples from idiopathic cases of ASD exhibit increased numbers of dendritic spines, which are the primary site of excitatory synapse formation. Excitatory synapses facilitate action potential formation, underlying cognitive functions such as learning and memory formation. Excitatory synapses develop in stages: synapse formation begins when post-synaptic spine precursors adhere to a pre-synaptic axon partner. As synapses mature, dendritic spines undergo a morphological transition from filopodia-like spine precursors to mushroom-shaped dendritic spines. These morphological changes increase the surface area adjacent to the axon partner, as well as the number of neurotransmitter receptors, thereby increasing the likelihood of action potential propagation. We are interested in the mechanisms of synapse formation, maturation, and maintenance. While there is considerable research on experience-dependent synapse maturation after birth, we lack understanding of the molecular mechanisms that initiate synapse formation and how these mechanisms are altered by ASD-associated genetic mutations and/or environmental factors. To address how synapse adherence occurs, we developed techniques to visualize association of the known synaptic adhesion molecule, N-Cadherin, with developing synapses. In this study we will be presenting the process of optimizing Golgi-Cox staining in embryonic mouse brain tissue to visualize post-synaptic dendritic spine morphology and using immunofluorescence in mouse brains to study N-Cadherin's association with developing synapses. Our hypothesis stated that as synapse development progresses there will be an increase in N-Cadherin localized to synapses. Using these techniques, we saw trends which suggest that as the brain develops there will be an increase in the density of N-Cadherin positive synapses over time. Limitations of this study though prevented the acceptation or rejection of our hypothesis, instead it was inconclusive. The association we observed for the increase of N-Cadherin positive synapses over time, suggests a role for N-Cadherin in synapse stabilization/maturation. Further, significant differences were observed in that N-Cadherin positive synapses were larger than the negative N-Cadherin synapses on average. This supports the postulation that N-Cadherin promotes excitatory synapse maturation. Future research will use knockdown approaches to examine the role of N-Cadherin at distinct stages of synapse formation in neuronal cell cultures.;

504 a| Includes bibliographical references.;

650 0 a| Synapses.=| ^A468;

650 0 a| Cadherins.?| UNAUTHORIZED;

650 0 a| Stains and staining (Microscopy)=| ^A1066;

650 0 a| Fluorescent antibody technique.=| ^A2818;

650 2 a| Synapses0| (DNLM)D013569=| ^A948337;

650 2 a| Cadherins0| (DNLM)D015820=| ^A1488976;

650 2 a| Staining and Labeling0| (DNLM)D013194=| ^A948136;

650 2 a| Fluorescent Antibody Technique0| (DNLM)D005455=| ^A918589;

650 7 a| stain (coating)2| aat0| (CStmoGRI)aat300014968;

653 a| N-Cadherin;

653 a| Embryonic;

653 a| Golgi-Cox;

653 a| Autism Spectrum Disorder;

700 1 a| Litwa, Karen,e| degree supervisor.?| UNAUTHORIZED;

710 2 a| East Carolina University.b| Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.?| UNAUTHORIZED;

830 0 a| ECU Brody School of Medicine thesis.=| ^A964744;

856 40 z| Access via ScholarShipu| http://hdl.handle.net/10342/13867;

994 a| C0b| ERE;

596 a| 1 4;

998 a| 6560835;

999 a| CLICK ON WEB ADDRESSw| ASISc| 1i| 6560835-1001l| JNETm| JOYNERr| Ys| Yt| JNE3ETDu| 3/10/2025x| ETDz| JERESOURCE;

999 a| CLICK ON WEB ADDRESSw| ASISc| 1i| 6560835-2001l| HSLELECm| HSLr| Ys| Yt| HEETDu| 3/10/2025x| ETDz| HERESOURCE;

The optimization of Golgi-Cox staining in parallel with immunofluorescence to colocalize the adhesion protein, N-Cadherin, to developing synapses / by Victoria Elizabeth~Ray Frank.

Author/creator	Frank, Victoria Elizabeth-Ray author.
Other author	Litwa, Karen, degree supervisor.
Other author	East Carolina University. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.
Format	Theses and dissertations
Publication	[Greenville, N.C.] : [East Carolina University], 2024.
Description	1 online resource (86 pages) : illustrations (chiefly color)
Supplemental Content	Access via ScholarShip
Subjects	Synapses. Cadherins. Stains and staining (Microscopy) Fluorescent antibody technique. Synapses Cadherins Staining and Labeling Fluorescent Antibody Technique

Series	ECU Brody School of Medicine thesis ECU Brody School of Medicine thesis. ^A964744
Summary	Numerous neurodevelopmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), exhibit altered synapse formation. Post-mortem brain samples from idiopathic cases of ASD exhibit increased numbers of dendritic spines, which are the primary site of excitatory synapse formation. Excitatory synapses facilitate action potential formation, underlying cognitive functions such as learning and memory formation. Excitatory synapses develop in stages: synapse formation begins when post-synaptic spine precursors adhere to a pre-synaptic axon partner. As synapses mature, dendritic spines undergo a morphological transition from filopodia-like spine precursors to mushroom-shaped dendritic spines. These morphological changes increase the surface area adjacent to the axon partner, as well as the number of neurotransmitter receptors, thereby increasing the likelihood of action potential propagation. We are interested in the mechanisms of synapse formation, maturation, and maintenance. While there is considerable research on experience-dependent synapse maturation after birth, we lack understanding of the molecular mechanisms that initiate synapse formation and how these mechanisms are altered by ASD-associated genetic mutations and/or environmental factors. To address how synapse adherence occurs, we developed techniques to visualize association of the known synaptic adhesion molecule, N-Cadherin, with developing synapses. In this study we will be presenting the process of optimizing Golgi-Cox staining in embryonic mouse brain tissue to visualize post-synaptic dendritic spine morphology and using immunofluorescence in mouse brains to study N-Cadherin's association with developing synapses. Our hypothesis stated that as synapse development progresses there will be an increase in N-Cadherin localized to synapses. Using these techniques, we saw trends which suggest that as the brain develops there will be an increase in the density of N-Cadherin positive synapses over time. Limitations of this study though prevented the acceptation or rejection of our hypothesis, instead it was inconclusive. The association we observed for the increase of N-Cadherin positive synapses over time, suggests a role for N-Cadherin in synapse stabilization/maturation. Further, significant differences were observed in that N-Cadherin positive synapses were larger than the negative N-Cadherin synapses on average. This supports the postulation that N-Cadherin promotes excitatory synapse maturation. Future research will use knockdown approaches to examine the role of N-Cadherin at distinct stages of synapse formation in neuronal cell cultures.
General note	Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
General note	Advisor: Karen Litwa
General note	Title from PDF t.p. (viewed March 26, 2026).
Dissertation note	M.B.S. East Carolina University 2024.
Bibliography note	Includes bibliographical references.
Technical details	System requirements: Adobe Reader.
Technical details	Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Availability

Library	Location	Call Number	Status	Item Actions
	Electronic Resources	Access Content Online	✔ Available

The optimization of Golgi-Cox staining in parallel with immunofluorescence to colocalize the adhesion protein, N-Cadherin, to developing synapses / by Victoria Elizabeth~Ray Frank.

Click here for more information about this title

Availability