Dendrite Regeneration Mechanisms After Damage

Open Access
- Author:
- Hafer, Terry Lee
- Area of Honors:
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Melissa Rolls, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Wendy Hanna-Rose, Thesis Honors Advisor
Scott Brian Selleck, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- Neuron
Dendrites
Drosophila
Injury
Damage
Regeneration
Glial Cell
Glia - Abstract:
- While axon regeneration requires a kinase cascade, the mechanism for dendritic regeneration is independent of this pathway and remains unknown. Kinases regulate many different stress responses, but it is not definitively known which kinases, if any, play a role in dendrite regeneration. When axons are damaged, glial cells play a role in clearance of axonal debris, but it is unknown whether glial cells are involved in dendrite regeneration after damage. I hypothesize that a kinase and a signal from glial cells are both required for dendrite regeneration after injury. In order to test the role of kinases and related signaling molecules in dendrite regeneration, these genes were knocked down using RNAi. To injure the sensory neurons or glial cells, I used a UV pulse laser. I monitored dendrite regeneration 24 hours post-injury, and classified the tested neuron as having the same, a reduced or complete lack of dendrite regeneration in comparison with the control. I have tested 35 kinases and related signaling molecules thus far, and none appear to play a role in the dendrite regeneration pathway. In the future, I will continue to screen for proteins involved in dendrite regeneration, and continue to explore if glial cells are involved in dendrite regeneration. Once we identify the first regulator of dendrite regeneration through this screen, we will make predictions based on the known functions and interactions with other candidate proteins.