Includes list of publications by the author. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-123) / x, 123 leaves : ill.;c 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Evaluates the nature of the interactions occurring between semen and cells of the uterus that occur following mating in pigs. Describes a novel ability of porcine seminal plasma to induce dose dependent cell-cell adhesion and mitogenesis amongst peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1993

Bibliography: leaves 250-284. / xviii, 284 leaves : ill., plates (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, Discipline of Microbiology and Immunology, 2004

Thesis (M.Ch.E.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Eric M. Furst, Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

FCH/CIP4 homology-Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (F-BAR) domain proteins are a subfamily of the Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) superfamily of proteins. They contain unique domains that bind and reshape the phospholipid bilayers of endosomal compartments during endocytosis. Using a functional assay for cell survival, we identified an F-BAR protein, FCH/CIP4 homology and double Src homology 3 domains 2 (FCHSD2), that confers drug resistance. Stable expression of shRNA against FCHSD2 in multiple cell types showed that loss of FCHSD2 sensitized cells to apoptosis by doxorubicin. Silencing of FCHSD2 also enhanced the ability of fibroblasts to grow colonies in culture. Mass spectrometry analysis of FCHSD2 protein complexes identified multiple interacting proteins that are involved in adhesion and endosome trafficking. We identified and confirmed a novel interaction between FCHSD2 and sorting nexin 18 (SNX18), a BAR domain protein that binds to endosomes. Our results suggest that FCHSD2 is involved in regulating cellular adhesion and cell death.

FCH/CIP4 homology-Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (F-BAR) domain proteins are a subfamily of the Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) superfamily of proteins. They contain unique domains that bind and reshape the phospholipid bilayers of endosomal compartments during endocytosis. Using a functional assay for cell survival, we identified an F-BAR protein, FCH/CIP4 homology and double Src homology 3 domains 2 (FCHSD2), that confers drug resistance. Stable expression of shRNA against FCHSD2 in multiple cell types showed that loss of FCHSD2 sensitized cells to apoptosis by doxorubicin. Silencing of FCHSD2 also enhanced the ability of fibroblasts to grow colonies in culture. Mass spectrometry analysis of FCHSD2 protein complexes identified multiple interacting proteins that are involved in adhesion and endosome trafficking. We identified and confirmed a novel interaction between FCHSD2 and sorting nexin 18 (SNX18), a BAR domain protein that binds to endosomes. Our results suggest that FCHSD2 is involved in regulating cellular adhesion and cell death.

Graduation date: 1992

Cell adhesion to proteins adsorbed onto implanted surfaces is particularly important to host responses in biomedical and tissue engineering applications. Biomaterial surface properties influence the type, quantity and functional presentation (activity) of proteins adsorbed upon contact with physiological fluids, and modulate subsequent cell response. Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins (e.g. fibronectin) is primarily mediated by the integrin family of cell-surface receptors. Integrins not only anchor cells, supporting cell spreading and migration, but also trigger signals that regulate survival, proliferation and differentiation. A fundamental understanding of the adhesive interactions at the biomaterial interface is critical to the rational design of biomaterial surfaces. Using model surfaces of self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold presenting well-defined surface chemistries (CH3, OH, COOH, NH2), we investigated the effects of surface chemistry on osteoblastic differentiation. We report that surface chemistry effectively modulates fibronectin adsorption, integrin binding, focal adhesion assembly and signaling to direct the osteoblast cellular functions of adhesion strength, gene expression and matrix mineralization. Specifically, surfaces presenting OH and NH2 functionalities provide enhanced functional presentation of adsorbed fibronectin, promoting specificity of integrin binding as well as elevating focal adhesion assembly and signaling. Furthermore, the OH and NH2 surfaces supported elevated levels of osteoblast differentiation as evidenced by osteoblast-specific gene expression and matrix mineralization. These results contribute to the development of design principles for the engineering of surfaces that direct cell adhesion for biomedical and tissue engineering applications. In particular, the understanding provided by this analysis may be useful in the engineering of surface properties for bone tissue repair and regeneration.

No description available.

Cadherin and catenin-family proteins regulate adhesion in malignant melanoma. Using AQUA (Automated Quantitative Analysis) to quantitate the levels of alpha-catenin, beta-catenin, p120-catenin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and P-cadherin in melanoma on tissue microarrays (TMAs), we classified 513 patients by protein expression using hierarchical clustering and regression analysis. The dendrogram supported positive correlations seen upon Spearman rho analysis of P-cadherin and beta-catenin (r=0.5238, p<0.0001) and negative, weak association of N-cadherin with other markers. Patients with high expression of N-cadherin had the highest 20-year survival rate (p=0.0003). Our adherens protein molecular classification of melanoma defines at least two distinctive sub-populations of melanoma patients, those with high expression of N-cadherin and those with low expression who have decreased survival. These findings extend previous cDNA array-based findings of an epithelioid class and neural crest class of melanomas.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Chemistry, June 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.