Date of Defense

Spring 4-20-2007

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Christine Byrd-Jacobs, Biological Sciences

Second Advisor

Cindy Linn, Biological Sciences

Third Advisor

David Huffman, Chemistry

Keywords

zebra fish

Abstract

In zebrafish and other teleosts, the olfactory system is used for the localization of food, the detection of predators, in reproductive practices, and in other forms of communication. The olfactory system is also known to play a role in migration in fish as well as social interactions such as schooling. In zebrafish, the peripheral structures of the olfactory system, the olfactory rosettes, are present within cavities at the nose of the animal and are covered by small flaps of skin. The sensory olfactory epithelium is located on lamellae that branch off of central stalks in each rosette. The olfactory nerves act to transmit odorant information from the sensory olfactory epithelium to the olfactory bulbs for processing. The olfactory system of the zebrafish is a good model for studying inherent neuronal plasticity of the brain and its ability to recover from injury. In this research, three experimental groups were tested. The non-labeled control group received neither the DiA injection nor the dafferentation procedure. The labeled control group received the DiA injection but did not receive the deafferentation procedure. The experimental group received both the DiA injection as well as the deafferentation procedure. It was hypothesized that no fluorescing microglia would be viewed in the non-labaled control group due to the fact that no DiA was injected, only a few resident microglia would be visible in the labeled control group receiving the DiA injection, and a significant proliferation of microglia would be seen in the experimental group as an immune response to the deafferentation procedure.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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