The work contained in this document provides the first description and characterization of Bves, a gene product identified by our laboratory, in epithelial cell types. Studies addressed a central hypothesis that Bves plays a role in epithelial cell-cell interaction and integrity, which is supported by an initial protein distribution analysis at cell membranes in both cells and tissues. Localization, interaction, and functional assays establish that Bves is an essential component of the tight junction complex and interacts with the protein complex containing ZO-1 in epithelial cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrate that Bves is clearly important for epithelial morphogenesis during X. laevis development, and establish an excellent model system to perform future studies. This dissertation provides an important contribution to the body of literature on the Bves by defining the essential nature of Bves in epithelial integrity and by providing the groundwork for further examination of how Bves participates in epithelial cell interaction.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VANDERBILT/oai:VANDERBILTETD:etd-10052005-113141 |
Date | 01 November 2005 |
Creators | Osler, Megan Emery |
Contributors | David Bader, Gary Olson, Robert Coffey, Kathleen Gould, Robert Matusik |
Publisher | VANDERBILT |
Source Sets | Vanderbilt University Theses |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | text |
Format | application/pdf |
Source | http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-10052005-113141/ |
Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Vanderbilt University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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