P2X7 Receptor Regulation of Hippocampal Neural Progenitor Cells
Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Brownlie, Jeremy
Weible, Michael
Year published
2017-09
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays an essential role in the formation and consolidation of new memories, spatial processing and some forms of learning. Identifying the molecular mechanisms that regulate hippocampal neural progenitor cells as they proliferate, differentiate, and are selected for either survival or cell death will provide a fundamental understanding of how this neurogenic niche coordinates these activities. Here, the roles of P2X7 receptors are examined for their influence over neural progenitor cell biology, particularly cell death, proliferation, and phagocytosis of apoptotic progenitors that have undergone ...
View more >Adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays an essential role in the formation and consolidation of new memories, spatial processing and some forms of learning. Identifying the molecular mechanisms that regulate hippocampal neural progenitor cells as they proliferate, differentiate, and are selected for either survival or cell death will provide a fundamental understanding of how this neurogenic niche coordinates these activities. Here, the roles of P2X7 receptors are examined for their influence over neural progenitor cell biology, particularly cell death, proliferation, and phagocytosis of apoptotic progenitors that have undergone programmed cell death. As a purinergic cation channel, P2X7 receptors are exceptionally versatile; their primary role is as ATP-gated calcium channels, and they have notable roles in the immune system, where they regulate cytokine release and form large transmembrane pores resulting in cell death. By acting as scavenger receptors, they can also mediate phagocytosis. These diverse roles were investigated in neural progenitor cells of the adult murine hippocampal neurogenic niche.
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View more >Adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays an essential role in the formation and consolidation of new memories, spatial processing and some forms of learning. Identifying the molecular mechanisms that regulate hippocampal neural progenitor cells as they proliferate, differentiate, and are selected for either survival or cell death will provide a fundamental understanding of how this neurogenic niche coordinates these activities. Here, the roles of P2X7 receptors are examined for their influence over neural progenitor cell biology, particularly cell death, proliferation, and phagocytosis of apoptotic progenitors that have undergone programmed cell death. As a purinergic cation channel, P2X7 receptors are exceptionally versatile; their primary role is as ATP-gated calcium channels, and they have notable roles in the immune system, where they regulate cytokine release and form large transmembrane pores resulting in cell death. By acting as scavenger receptors, they can also mediate phagocytosis. These diverse roles were investigated in neural progenitor cells of the adult murine hippocampal neurogenic niche.
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Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Degree Program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
School of Natural Sciences
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
Subject
Hippocampal neurogenesis
Neural progenitor cell biology
Progenitor cells
Memory formation