Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Beverly Piggott
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Neuroscience
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a model organism that undergoes many of the same processes for brain development that humans do. Work from our lab finds that pH regulation is important for brain development. The pH regulator, Ae2, is present at the cell membrane where it expels bicarbonate ions in exchange for chloride. Importantly, humans also express ae2 (SLCA4). It is not a well-studied protein, but low levels of SLCA4 are hypothesized to be associated with primary biliary cirrhosis. In other organ systems, the Ae2 exchanger was found to be important for development. Thus, we aimed to determine if Ae2 may similarly influence brain formation. We have previously found that pH regulation is important for neuroblasts, the neural stem cells of the fly brain, to proliferate and generate neurons. To define the function of Ae2 in Drosophila neurogenesis, I reduced ae2 expression to see how it would alter brain development. I prepared samples by dissecting both a control group and an RNAi knockdown of the ae2 gene (experimental group). Using immunostaining I was then able to visualize volumes and mitotically active cells in the brains with a confocal microscope. I found that the RNAi knockdown of the ae2 gene caused a decrease in both volume and actively dividing cells within the brain. Ae2 normally functions as an acid-loader (via bicarbonate removal), thus knockdown of ae2 would be expected to make neuroblasts more basic. The fact that we see smaller brains with less proliferation suggests that there is an ideal pH range for neuroblast proliferation and that cells being too basic may not effectively divide. This research will provide insight into similar areas of surrounding research for humans regarding developmental acid-base disorders.
Category
Physical Sciences
pH Regulator Ae2 is Important for Brain Development
UC South Ballroom
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a model organism that undergoes many of the same processes for brain development that humans do. Work from our lab finds that pH regulation is important for brain development. The pH regulator, Ae2, is present at the cell membrane where it expels bicarbonate ions in exchange for chloride. Importantly, humans also express ae2 (SLCA4). It is not a well-studied protein, but low levels of SLCA4 are hypothesized to be associated with primary biliary cirrhosis. In other organ systems, the Ae2 exchanger was found to be important for development. Thus, we aimed to determine if Ae2 may similarly influence brain formation. We have previously found that pH regulation is important for neuroblasts, the neural stem cells of the fly brain, to proliferate and generate neurons. To define the function of Ae2 in Drosophila neurogenesis, I reduced ae2 expression to see how it would alter brain development. I prepared samples by dissecting both a control group and an RNAi knockdown of the ae2 gene (experimental group). Using immunostaining I was then able to visualize volumes and mitotically active cells in the brains with a confocal microscope. I found that the RNAi knockdown of the ae2 gene caused a decrease in both volume and actively dividing cells within the brain. Ae2 normally functions as an acid-loader (via bicarbonate removal), thus knockdown of ae2 would be expected to make neuroblasts more basic. The fact that we see smaller brains with less proliferation suggests that there is an ideal pH range for neuroblast proliferation and that cells being too basic may not effectively divide. This research will provide insight into similar areas of surrounding research for humans regarding developmental acid-base disorders.