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Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) play a crucial part in the evolutionary development of the human neocortex. During early postnatal development, NSPCs give rise to immature neurons called neuroblasts within the subventricular zone (SVZ) that utilize unique migratory streams to integrate widely in the cerebral cortex. However, the cellular mechanisms enabling these unique migratory routes through the compacted cellular landscape remain unknown. Special emphasis has been placed on understanding the susceptibility of these brain regions to severe conditions such as congenital heart disease (CHD), resulting in poor neurological outcomes. Owing to its reminiscent complexity to humans, the neonatal piglet (Sus scrofa domesticus), which possesses a highly evolved gyrencephalic neocortex and an expansive outer SVZ, provides a powerful translational model system for the study of how heart dysfunction impacts cortical development from both a modern and evolutionary perspective. The present study provides a detailed characterization of neuroblast migration along their associate substrates in the piglet cortex under normal physiological conditions and how reduced oxygenation (i.e., hypoxia) can impact their vulnerability and/or resistance to injury during a critical period of postnatal development. In this thesis, I investigated the spatiotemporal distribution and developmental origin of SVZ-derived neuroblasts. Following BrdU tracing, multiplex labeling, and confocal microscopy, I show that the porcine brain contains populations of newly generated (BrdU+/DCX+) neurons in the prefrontal cortex that are produced postnatally. Regional analyses using immunohistochemical staining for doublecortin (DCX), a marker expressed by immature neurons, revealed that DCX+ clusters co-express markers of neuronal cell migration (PSA-NCAM), GABAergic interneuron marker (GABA+), and specific transcription factors (SCGN+SP8+) associated with the caudal- and lateral ganglionic eminence progenitor domains in the ventral forebrain. Moreover, I found that DCX+ neuroblasts are encased by astrocytic processes and tightly associated with blood vessels in the SVZ. Additionally, this thesis describes the use of chronic hypoxia as a model to profile neuroblast migration along associated substrates in pathological conditions related to CHD. Together, this work serves as a framework for the functional utilization of the neonatal piglet to understand the impact of substrate-dependent neuronal migration on brain maturation and neurodevelopmental diseases. / Doctor of Philosophy / Congenital heart disease (CHD) remains a significant cause of abnormal fetal brain development, affecting 1-2% of live births per year. Although many surgical strategies have shown promise in increasing quality of life, the current challenges remain the long-term cognitive deficits and diverse neurodevelopmental disabilities due to CHD. Recent studies suggest that dysregulated neurogenesis, which is associated with impaired neocortical development in human fetuses of CHD, may be influenced by altered brain circulation of blood and oxygen deliverance during critical periods of prenatal cortical growth. The brain's subventricular zone (SVZ) niche is essential for producing new neurons following birth to restore, repair, and replace existing neurons in the developing brain. In addition, these newborn neurons undergo long-distance migration from the SVZ to reach their final cortical destinations and ultimately contribute to brain development/plasticity. This study seeks to characterize the migration patterns of newborn neurons and the substrates (e.g., blood vessels or astrocytes), enabling the movement along the unique migratory routes under normal and pathological (i.e., hypoxia) conditions. In short, we found that the vast majority of the SVZ-derived newborn neurons are inhibitory neurons (i.e., interneurons) that originate in the deep region of the brain called the telencephalon and migrate tangentially utilizing blood vessels as scaffolds to the cortex, which is likely to contribute to cortical plasticity. These postnatal piglet findings demonstrate that swine represent a powerful translational model system to study large-brained mammalian cortical development and neuronal migration as it correlates to humans in normal and diseased states.

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis, or the process of creating new neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, underlies learning and memory capacity. This cognitive ability is essential for humans to operate in their everyday lives, but cognitive disruption can occur in response to traumatic insult such as brain injury. Previous findings in rodent models have characterized the effect of moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) on neurogenesis and found learning and memory shortfalls correlated with limited neurogenic capacity. While there are no substantial changes after one mild TBI, research has yet to determine if neurogenesis contributes to the worsened cognitive outcomes of repetitive mild TBI. Here, we examined the effect of neurogenesis on cognitive decline following repetitive mild TBI by utilizing AraC to limit the neurogenic capacity of the DG. Utilizing a BrdU fate-labeling strategy, we found a significant increase in the number of immature neurons that correlate learning and memory impairment. These changes were attenuated in AraC-treated animals. We further identified endothelial cell (EC)-specific EphA4 receptor as a key mediator of aberrant neurogenesis. Taken together, we conclude that increased aberrant neurogenesis contributes to learning and memory deficits after repetitive mild TBI. / Doctor of Philosophy / In the United States, millions of people experience mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, every year. Patients often have a lower ability to learn and recall new information, and those who go on to receive more concussions are at an increased risk of developing long-term memory-associated disorders such as dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Despite the high number of athletes and military personnel at risk for these disorders, the underlying cause of long-term learning and memory shortfalls associated with multiple concussions remains ill defined. In the brain, the hippocampus play an important role in learning and memory and is one of only two regions in the brain where new neurons are created from neural stem cells through the process of neurogenesis. Our study seeks to address the role of neurogenesis in learning and memory deficits in mice. These findings provide the foundation for future, long-term mechanistic experiments that uncover the aberrant or uncontrolled processes that derail neurogenesis after multiple concussions. In short, we found an increase in the number of newborn immature neurons that we classify as aberrant neurogenesis. Suppressing this process rescued the learning and memory problems in a rodent model of repeated concussion. These findings improve our understanding of the processes that contribute to the pathophysiology of TBI.

The central nervous system (CNS) has an astonishing diversity of neurons and glia. The diversity of cell types in the CNS has greatly increased throughout evolution and underlies our unique cognitive abilities. The diverse neurons and glia in the CNS are made from a relatively small pool of neural stem cells and progenitors. Understanding the developmental mechanisms that generate diverse cell types from neural progenitors will provide insight into the complexity of the mammalian CNS and guide stem cell based therapies for brain repair. Temporal patterning, during which individual neural progenitors change over time to make different neurons and a glia, is essential for the generation of neural diversity. However, the regulation of temporal patterning is poorly understood. Human outer subventricular zone (OSVZ) neural stem cells and Drosophila type II neural stem cells (called neuroblasts) both generate transit-amplifying intermediate neural progenitors (INPs). INPs undergo additional rounds of cell division to increase the number of neurons and glia generated in neural stem cell lineages. However, it is unknown whether INPs simply expand the numbers of a particular cell type or make diverse neural progeny. In this dissertation, I show that type II neuroblast lineages give rise to extraordinary neural diversity in the Drosophila adult brain and contribute diverse neurons to a major brain structure, the central complex. I find that INPs undergo temporal patterning to expand neural diversity in type II lineages. I show that INPs sequentially generate distinct neural subtypes; that INPs sequentially express Dichaete, Grainyhead, and Eyeless transcription factors; and that these transcription factors are required for the production of distinct neural subtypes. Moreover, I find that parental type II neuroblasts also sequentially express transcription factors and generate different neuronal/glial progeny over time, providing a second temporal identity axis. I conclude that neuroblast and INP temporal patterning axes act combinatorially to specify diverse neural cell types within adult central complex; OSVZ neural stem cells may use similar mechanisms to increase neural diversity in the human brain. This dissertation includes previously published co-authored material.

Group B Sox genes play a critical developmental role in both vertebrates and insects. Within the model species Drosophila melanogaster, two SoxB genes, Dichaete and SoxNeuro, have been shown to act as ‘master regulators’ in the early development of the central nervous system. SoxB genes have only been characterised in a handful of arthropod species thus far, with most work to date focusing on drosophilids. The purpose of this investigation was twofold. First, I set out to resolve the phylogenetic origins of arthropod SoxB genes, as mutually exclusive models explaining their emergence are still contested. I have identified and annotated the SoxB of several invertebrate taxa. In total, my investigation includes 24 different metazoan taxa, and represents the largest investigation of arthropod SoxB phylogeny to date. In light of this research, I have proposed a new model of SoxB evolution which resolves the conflicting elements of the two primary competing models. Second, to study the evolution of SoxB in terms of functional conservation/divergence, I selected the emerging model organism Tribolium castaneum to draw a comparative analysis with Drosophila melanogaster. I first began by characterising the spatiotemporal expression patterns of SoxNeuro mRNA in early Tribolium embryos using whole mount in situ hybridisation, and examined published Dichaete expression patterns in the context of central nervous system development in T. castaneum. Using these data, I draw a comparison to the expression profiles of Dichaete and SoxNeuro orthologues in Drosophila melanogaster and other species. I have found that both Dichaete and SoxNeuro expression patterns in the developing central nervous system are remarkably well-conserved across species. I also attempted to characterise genome-wide binding for both Dichaete and SoxNeuro proteins in Tribolium in what would have represented the first genomic investigation of its kind in this emerging species. Using a tethered DNA adenine methyltransferase (Dam) enzyme for both SoxNeuro and Dichaete, I hoped to characterise the genomic loci with which each protein interacts within the beetle genome (a technique known as DamID). Unfortunately, these last set of experiments have proved unsuccessful, despite several attempts which have made use of different promoters, different DNA enrichment methodologies, and tackling unforeseen DNA contamination issues. Nevertheless, the troubleshooting experiments that I have carried out will pave the way for further genomic experiments in Tribolium, easing the establishment of genomic research in this emerging organism.

xiii, 48 p. : (col. ill.) A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call number: SCIENCE QL537.D76 N57 2007 / Asymmetric cell division (ACD) is a unique mechanism employed during development to achieve cellular diversity from a small number of progenitor cells. Cells undergoing ACD distribute factors for self-renewal at the apical cortex and factors for differentiation at the basal cortex. It is critical for proper development that the mitotic spindle be tightly coupled to this axis of polarization such that both sets of proteins are exclusively segregated into the daughter cells. We use ACD in Drosophila neuroblasts as a model system for understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern spindle-cortical coupling. Neuroblasts polarize Partner of Inscuteable (Pins), Gαi and Mushroom Body Defect (Mud) at the apical cell cortex during mitosis. Gαi and Pins are required for establishing cortical polarity while Mud is essential for spindle-cortical alignment. Gαi and Mud interact through Pins GoLoco domains and tetratricopeptide repeats (TPR) respectively, however it is unclear how Mud activity is integrated with Pins and Gαi to link neuroblast cortical polarity to the mitotic spindle. This dissertation describes how Pins interactions with Gαi and Mud regulate Iwo fundamental aspects of neuroblast ACD: cortical polarity and alignment of the spindle with the resulting polarity axis. I demonstrate that Pins is a dynamic scaffolding protein that undergoes a GoLoco-TPR intramolecular interaction, resulting in a conformation of Pins with low Mud and reduced Gαi binding affinity. However, Pins TPR domains fail to completely repress Gαi binding, as a single GoLoco is unaffected by the intramolecular isomerization. Gαi present at the apical cortex specifies Pins localization through binding this "unregulated" GoLoco. Liberation of Pins intramolecularly coupled state occurs through cooperative binding of Gαi and Mud to the other GoLoco and TPR domains, creating a high-affinity Gαi-Pins-Mud complex. This autoregulatory mechanism spatially confines the Pins-Mud interaction to the apical cortex and facilitates proper apical-spindle orientation. In conclusion, these results suggest Gαi induces multiple Pins states to both properly localize Pins and ensure tight coupling between apical polarity and mitotic spindle alignment. / Adviser: Ken Prehoda

xi, 88 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Neuroblasts are the neural stem cells of the Drosophlia central nervous system. They are large cells that divide asymmetrically to renew another neuroblast and generate a smaller ganglion mother cell (gmc) that will divide once to produce two neurons. Combining genetic lineage tracing experiments with cell fate markers I isolated two separate neural stem cell populations with distinct locations and cellular behaviors in the larval brain. In my first chapter I introduce the central nervous system of Drosophila and in the next two sections of chapter I, I introduce the development of the optic lobe and central brain, two separate structures of the central nervous system. In my second chapter I characterize the lineage relationship of cells within the developing larval optic lobe and use cell fate markers to determine the identity of these cells. Next I examine the effect of spindle orientation on cell fate within epithelial cells of the optic lobe. In my third chapter I characterize another novel neural stem cell lineage in the larval brain containing GMCs with greater proliferation potential than a "canonical" GMC, and I term these, transit amplifying gmcs (TA-GMCs). Further I show that the parent neuroblast of these novel TA-GMCs does not asymmetrically segregate the fate determinant Prospero (Pros) thereby producing a GMC with greater proliferation potential. Finally I show that TA-GMCs do asymmetrically segregate the fate determinant Pros, divide slowly and give rise to up to 10 neurons which normal gmcs never do. In my fourth chapter I show preliminary work on the characterization of a mutation that causes excessive production of neuroblasts specifically in novel TA-GMC lineages. These findings reveal novel neural stem cell lineages, patterns of asymmetric cell division and patterns of neurogenesis that could aid in our understanding of neural stem cell biology and tumorogenesis. This dissertation includes both my previously published and my co-authored materials. / Adviser: Chris Doe

xi, 93 p. ; ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) protein has been implicated in several human tumors yet very little is known about how aPKC is regulated. One mechanism that has been proposed as the possible source of several types of tumor is the defective asymmetric cell division of a small number of tumor stem cells. aPKC is required for cell polarization from nematodes to mammals, in tissues as diverse as epithelia, embryonic blastomeres, and neural progenitors. In Drosophila central nervous system, mitotic neural stem cells, termed neuroblasts, recruit the polarity proteins aPKC at the cell apical cortex. pack restricts the localization of the differentiation factors Miranda, Prospero, Brat, and Numb to the cell's basal cortex. Later during mitosis, the cytokinetic furrow sets unevenly about the neuroblast apical-basal axis to produce a large cell (neuroblast) which will continue to divide and self-renew, while the smaller ganglion mother cell inherits differentiation factors and terminally divides to give rise to a pair of neurons and/or glia. Asymmetric cell division is not only critical for generating cellular diversity, it also ensures that a stable population of neural stem cell is constantly maintained while allowing neurogenesis to occur. Despite its conserved role in cell polarity and tumorigenesis, relatively little is known about aPKC regulators and targets. In a co-authored work, I show that the small Rho GTPase, Cdc42, indirectly regulates aPKC. However, this stimulation is modest and the mutant phenotypes are not fully penetrant suggesting that other regulators exist. To isolate other aPKC regulators and targets, I used a biochemical approach to identify aPKC-interacting proteins, and identified one positive regulator and one negative regulator of aPKC. I show that Dynamin-associated protein-160 (Dap160; related to mammalian Intersectin) is a positive regulator of aPKC. I also show that a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), negatively regulates aPKC. This dissertation includes both my previously published and my co-authored material. / Adviser: Chris Doe

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