Cell culture systems have provided many insights into
eukaryotic gene expression and other biochemical
mechanisms. Since the cell represents the smallest living
unit of any organism it provides a desirable in vitro
system, allowing biochemical studies without the complex
physiology of an entire animal. However, processes
involving intracellular mechanisms, such as development,
aging or carcinogenis, eventually require the analysis of
the intact organism. Transgenic animals are a very
promising tool to approach questions of this magnitude.
Fish in general and the zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) in
particular are an excellent model system for transgenic
research, mainly due to their extramaternal fertilization
and development and their short generation cycle throughout
the year. The recent derivation of zebrafish cell lines has
opened up possibilities for in vitro analysis of this
popular model species, and expression of heterologous genes
under the influence of promoter and other regulatory
nucleic acid aequences. In contrast to mammalian expression
systems, little nucleic acid sequences controlling gene
expression in fish are known. Therefore we examined
mammalian expression systems in fish cells in order to
determine their efficiency quantitatively. Emphasis was
given to zebrafish cultures with the goal of eventually
injecting in vitro manipulated embryo cells into host
embryos and thereby creating transgenic chimera. / Graduation date: 1993
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/36240 |
Date | 10 June 1992 |
Creators | Sharps, Angela |
Contributors | Barnes, David W. |
Source Sets | Oregon State University |
Language | en_US |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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