Effect of cardiac arrest on neurons in the hippocampus and suprachiasmatic nucleus regions of the brain
This research studies the effects of cardiac arrest on neurons of the hippocampus and suprachiasmatic nucleus. Neurons die in response to periods of hypoxia/ischemia. Since the exact mechanism of cell death is unknown, we will be studying how the neurons die. In addition, the effects of estrogen on the neurons and circadian clock on death or survival of neurons will be assessed. It has been observed that neurons from the hippocampus are more susceptible to apoptotic cell death than neurons from the SCN. In studying the mechanism of apoptosis in neurons from the two aforementioned brain regions, we will set out to account for the differences. Cross sections of the two regions are stained for proteins to determine respective expression patterns. We will look for calcium binding proteins. This analysis can prove the hypothesis that a large concentration of calcium ions in a cell is toxic and leads to programmed cell death. Staining for activated caspases, which are shown to lead to apoptosis, will determine where apoptosis is occurring. We will also look for a pattern of expression of clock genes over a certain time course to determine if the circadian clock has an effect on neuronal death after hypoxia or if hypoxia has an effect on circadian expression.
School:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department:
Biology General
Research Advisor:
Shelley Tischkau
Department of Research Advisor:
Veterinary Biosciences
Year of Publication:
2002