Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1995. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 8, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Hou Tak Cheung (chair), David W. Borst, Herman E. Brockman, Alan J. Katz, Anthony J. Otsuka. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-110) and abstract. Also available in print.

The growth of an organism involves the proliferation and migration of cells within an extracellular matrix. As a cell surface receptor, the Dag1 gene product dystroglycan links the intracellular cytoskeleton to the extracellular basement membrane in many cells. Thought to act as a structural protein dystroglycan may also participate in signal transduction. This study aims to better understand the role of dystroglycan during kidney morphogenesis. I hypothesised that a lack of dystroglycan in the precursor cells of the kidney could lead to altered kidney growth. Chimaeric mice deficient in dystroglycan were generated to test this hypothesis. A total of 38 chimaeras had genetic contribution and histological analysis performed on their kidneys. Of the chimaeras analysed, only four demonstrated altered kidney morphology. Further histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical studies established whether a link existed between this morphology and a deficiency in dystroglycan. Normal laminar architecture and nephrotic structures of the kidneys suggest that normal kidney organogenesis occurred in the absence of dystroglycan. The pattern and expression level of basement membrane components suggests that normal basement membrane formation also occured in the absence of dystroglycan. Biochemical analysis revealed that although dystroglycan protein levels correlate with the genetic contribution of the chimaeric kidney, it does not correlate with the altered morphology. Ureter blockage causing hydronephrosis can explain the morphology observed. A deficiency of dystroglycan in the ureter may in turn have caused this blockage. These findings suggest that dystroglycan is not necessary for kidney organogenesis, since kidney development occurred normally in all 38 chimaeric animals irrespective of genetic contribution.

No description available.

In order to study the process by which human melanoma cells achieve invasion of basement membranes, a modification of the Membrane Invasion Culture System was developed to allow the in vitro collection of invasive tumor cells from heterogeneous tumor cell populations. A significant increase in the number of double minute chromosomes was observed in metaphase nuclei of the low metastatic A375P human melanoma cells which had invaded 2 consecutive amniotic membranes over that of cells in the control groups. After 25 days in culture, the incidence of double minutes had dropped below the control range. These data indicate that an unstable gene amplification event may be part of the process by which melanoma cells execute invasion through basement membranes. A375P cells which had invaded 1, 3 and 5 consecutive basement membrane-coated filters were established and compared with the parental cell line and a highly metastatic subclonal line for the following characteristics: (a) in vitro invasive potential, (b) mRNA expression of several oncogenes, (c) expression of laminin receptor, at the (cell surface) protein and mRNA levels, and, (d) secretion of endogenous laminin. There was a progressive increase in invasive potential and expression of endogenous laminin and laminin receptor which correlated with the number of membrane-coated filters through which the A375P cells had been selected. There were significant increases in the steady-state mRNA expression of c-myc and c-fos, a decrease in c-jun, and no change in Ha-ras, that correlated with increases in the invasive and metastatic potential of the cells. A novel in vitro adhesion assay was developed to study the interaction of tumor cells with lymphatic endothelium, the first step of extravasation from the lymphatic vessel. Human tumor cells from: one primary Ewing sarcoma, two melanoma, two colon and two breast carcinomas were assayed for their ability to attach to monolayers of lymphatic endothelium. There was a clear positive correlation between the metastatic potential and attachment potential of the melanoma cell lines. Overall, these data suggested that highly fibroblastic established tumor cell lines were more adaptive in rapid adhesion than primary tumor cell cultures with a more rounded morphology.

Bibliography: leaves 243-267. / xxiv, 268, [32] leaves, [25] leaves of plates : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Special methods for the ultrastructural localization of basal lamina laminin and type IV collagen in animal oral mucosa were developed in a series of experiments aimed at determining optimim methods for tissue fixation, dehydration, embedding and immunoincubation. The results provide a tool enabling further understanding of the molecular organization of normal oral mucosal basal lamina and bassal lamina in squamous cell carcinomas. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Dentistry, 1994?

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-136).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1967.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Southern California, 1999. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1967.