Browsing Dissertations and Theses by Author "Ables, Elizabeth Tweedie"
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Determining the role of the steroid hormone ecdysone in critical stages of Drosophila melanogaster early oogenesis
Finger, Danielle S. (East Carolina University, 2019-11-27)Reproductive function in many organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster, is controlled by steroid hormones. The main steroid hormone in Drosophila is ecdysone, which is structurally and functionally similar to estrogen. ... -
Development of an Optogenetic Tool for Targeted Sensory Hair Cell Ablation in Zebrafish
Cedrone, Alexandria (East Carolina University, 2022-04-28)Mechanosensory hair cells convert mechanical information into neuronal signals. Mutations in the genes required for hair cell function cause deafness and lead to the degeneration of sensory hair cells. Mammals are unable ... -
Drosophila Ovarian Stem Cell Establishment is Regulated by Nuclear Hormone Receptor ftz-f1
Berghout, Hanna E. (East Carolina University, 2017-06-28)Stem cells are a fundamental underpinning of tissue biology. Loss of the self-renewing function of stem cells leads to conditions such as infertility and tissue wasting. Stem cells integrate a variety of signals to maintain ... -
Environmental Development of the External Genitalia
Maurizio, Ciro (East Carolina University, 2018-07-24)Hypospadias is one of the most common birth defects in the world. The incidence of hypospadias has nearly doubled over the past 50 years and now occurs on average in 1 in 125 male newborns each year. Hypospadias is a ... -
Investigating the role of CRL5, an ubiquitin ligase, in ovarian follicle development.
Hardy, Victoria L (East Carolina University, 2016-07-20)During oogenesis, follicle cells surround maturing oocytes, which produce factors necessary for proper oocyte growth and development. Correct encapsulation of the oocyte by follicle cells is therefore essential for ... -
Investigating the role of transcription factor, Trl, during germline development in the Drosophila ovary
Davenport, Lindsay L (East Carolina University, 2019-07-22)Oogenesis is the process by which an egg develops from undifferentiated cells in the ovary. The Drosophila melanogaster ovary is an assembly line for egg production, making it a great system to investigate initial oocyte ... -
Mechanisms of germ cell development in Drosophila oogenesis.
Hinnant, Taylor D. (East Carolina University, 2018-07-17)Germ cell development requires interplay between factors that control cell fate and division. Early in their development, germ cells are an interconnected group of mitotically dividing cells. Key regulatory events then ... -
Novel roles for ecdysone receptor in the Drosophila germline
Phipps, Daniel N (East Carolina University, 2022-07-01)Oogenesis, the process by which a viable egg is produced, demands carefully coordinated communication between somatic and germ cell populations, relying on both local and systemic factors such as steroid hormones for ... -
NR5A family member ftz-f1 is necessary to promote oocyte development
McDonald, Samantha I (East Carolina University, 2019-07-15)Gamete production in mammals and insects is intimately tied to nutrition status. Conversion of nutritionally-dependent physiological signals to molecular mechanisms underlying control of oogenesis, however, remains largely ... -
Somatic steroid hormone signaling promotes early oocyte polarization in Drosophila
Whitehead, Kaitlin M (East Carolina University, 2021-07-28)In the ovary, oogenesis depends on intercellular communication between somatic and germ cell populations for proper oocyte production. Steroid hormone signaling, well-described for its diverse roles throughout oogenesis, ... -
THE ROLE OF DROSOPHILA NUCLEAR RECEPTOR FTZ-F1 IN SOMATIC CELLS IS NECCESSARY FOR GERMLINE STEM CELL MAINTENANCE
Sanders, Sydney (East Carolina University, 2022-04-29)The production of gametes is a controlled synergistic relationship between germ cells and somatic cells. In Drosophila oogenesis, the NR5A subfamily nuclear receptor ftz-f1 is expressed in the germline stem cells, germ ... -
The small GTPase Ran and β-importins Tnpo-SR and Cadmus promote ovarian cyst formation in Drosophila
Beachum, Allison N (East Carolina University, 2021-06-14)Germ cells follow a precise and coordinated molecular timeline to produce a viable oocyte. While undergoing mitotic expansion via incomplete cytokinesis, cysts of undifferentiated cells form and remain interconnected prior ...