Date of Award

4-2014

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Christine Byrd-Jacobs

Second Advisor

Dr. John Spitsbergen

Third Advisor

Dr. Karim Essani

Keywords

Zebrafish, microglia, deafferentation, olfactory bulb, phagocytosis

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The major goal of this study was to investigate a microglial response following deafferentation in the adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, olfactory bulb. Microglia were identified in the olfactory bulb using the 4c4 antibody and phagocytic-dependent labeling (DiA). Microglia responded to both methods of deafferentation namely, permanent (cautery) and temporary (Triton X- 100). On one and three days following both permanent and temporary deafferentation there was a significant increase in microglia in the treated olfactory bulb. At five and seven days after permanent and temporary deafferentation there was no longer a significant difference between the treated and untreated olfactory bulbs, indicating that a microglia response occured following permanent and temporary deafferentation. This study has established the foundation for future microglia studies in the degeneration and reinnervation processes in the adult zebrafish olfactory bulb.

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