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Functional analysis of the ERK signaling pathway in epithelial cells
Galvánková, Kristína ; Vomastek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Rösel, Daniel (referee)
The MAPK/ERK pathway, which is evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotes is one of the most intensively studied signaling pathways and consists of a three-tier cascade of Raf- MEK-ERK protein kinases. A variety of extracellular signals are transduced from receptors to hundreds of substrates by a series of sequential phosphorylations leading from Raf to MEK to ERK. The ERK pathway regulates a plethora of cell- and extracellular signal- specific responses such as gene expression, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. The proper execution of these physiological processes requires a precise temporal and spatial regulation of the pathway and disruption of the regulatory mechanisms leads to pathological consequence such as tumor transformation. Specificity and regulation of signal transduction are provided in part by the presence of isoforms at each level of the ERK signaling pathway. The functional differences between the effector protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2 have been controversial for a long time, but it is still unclear how important they are in achieving an appropriate cellular response. In this work, we focused on the functional characterization of ERK1 and ERK2 isoforms in MDCK epithelial cells. Specifically, we examined the effects of ERK2 inactivation on cell morphology and...
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Immediate early genes as a tool for study of spatial orientation and memory
Bláhová, Veronika ; Němec, Pavel (advisor) ; Telenský, Petr (referee)
Properties of the environment, spatial orientation cues and time-shifting movements are essential for cognitive maps. The understanding of how both space and the animal's position within that space are represented in the brain has been significantly advanced by the discoveries of four principal neuronal types: the place cells, the head direction cells, the grid cells and border cells. Their activity being driven by both allothetic (visual and non-visual landmarks), and idiothetic cues (internal movement cues based on proprioceptive and vestibular information). Brain regions containing aforementioned types of neurons constitute complex spatial representation system. Immediate early genes (IEGs) and their products became sophisticated tool for the study of neural substrate of spatial orientation including magnetic orientation. For further research it is unavoidable to uncover the dynamic of processes related to IEGs in order to better understanding the functions of brain centres involved in rodent navigation circuit. This work summarises our knowledge about spatial orientation of the vertebrates aimed at rodents, in context with detection of IEGs expression as activity markers in neural substrate. There are described most common experimental mazes and most frequent detection methods used in connection with...
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Neural Basis of magnetic compass orientation in C57BL/6J mice
Bláhová, Veronika ; Němec, Pavel (advisor) ; Druga, Rastislav (referee)
The ability to perceive the Earth's magnetic field has been demonstrated in a variety of animals, including representatives of all five classes of vertebrates. The physiological mechanisms underlying magnetic field sensation, however, remain largely unknown. Behavioral, physiological, neuroethological studies and studies using early response genes as neuronal activation markers indicated that a major role in the perception and processing of magnetic information play trigeminal, vestibular and visual systems. Subsequently, magnetic information seem to be integrated with multimodal sensory and motor information within the hippocampal-entorhinal system. In the majority of studies, however, birds have been used as model organisms. In this work I analyzed the neural substrate of magnetic compass orientation in the mouse strain C57BL/6J using markers c-Fos and Egr1. I found that all the aforementioned systems contain neurons responsive to the experimental magnetic fields. This finding demonstrates a complex processing of the magnetic information at level of the central nervous system.
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Immediate early genes as a tool for study of spatial orientation and memory
Bláhová, Veronika ; Němec, Pavel (advisor) ; Telenský, Petr (referee)
Properties of the environment, spatial orientation cues and time-shifting movements are essential for cognitive maps. The understanding of how both space and the animal's position within that space are represented in the brain has been significantly advanced by the discoveries of four principal neuronal types: the place cells, the head direction cells, the grid cells and border cells. Their activity being driven by both allothetic (visual and non-visual landmarks), and idiothetic cues (internal movement cues based on proprioceptive and vestibular information). Brain regions containing aforementioned types of neurons constitute complex spatial representation system. Immediate early genes (IEGs) and their products became sophisticated tool for the study of neural substrate of spatial orientation including magnetic orientation. For further research it is unavoidable to uncover the dynamic of processes related to IEGs in order to better understanding the functions of brain centres involved in rodent navigation circuit. This work summarises our knowledge about spatial orientation of the vertebrates aimed at rodents, in context with detection of IEGs expression as activity markers in neural substrate. There are described most common experimental mazes and most frequent detection methods used in connection with...
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