Search results

Query: faculty: "FNWI" and publication year: "2011"

AuthorArchontia Kaminari
TitleIn vivo Mitochondrial Trafficking during Cortical Plasticity
SupervisorsChristiaan Levelt, Hans van Hooft
Year2011
FacultyFaculty of Science
ProgrammeFNWI MSc Brain and Cognitive Sciences
AbstractPlasticity in the neocortex is a dynamic process that occurs throughout life and allows us to learn and adapt to our environment. Plasticity is also a high-energy consuming process. Mitochondria are vital cell organelles with a crucial role in providing energy to the brain. Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction may lead to major consequences for the normal function and plasticity of the neurons. This is indeed the case in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Ocular dominance plasticity in the primary visual cortex (V1), leads to consistent anatomical and functional changes and thus provides an excellent model for understanding cortical plasticity. Hence, gaining insight in the molecular events that regulate cortical plasticity will aid in the designing of therapeutic approaches for a variety of brain disorders. The aim of this research project is to study the trafficking of the mitochondria in relation to plasticity of the V1. We investigated mitochondrial trafficking in vivo in adult and young mice, as well in vitro in cultured V1 neurons. In order to do so, we created genetic markers for labeling the neurons and the mitochondria, performed in utero electroporation and made use of in vivo two photon microscopy, as well as confocal microscopy.
Document type scriptie master
Download paper