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Effect of changing ionic strength on the properties of catanionic vesicles from HTMA-DS
Filipová, Lenka ; Klučáková, Martina (referee) ; Mravec, Filip (advisor)
This diploma thesis is focused on evaluating the influence of ionic strength on catanionic vesicules made of ion pair amphiphile (IPA) in the form of HTMA-DS (hexadecyltrimethylammonium-dodecyl sulphate). Catanionic vesicles were stabilized by the addition of cationic surfactant dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC) and cholesterol. The ionic strength was attained by adding CaCl2 and Na2SO4 salts in the concentrations 0–300 mM. The changes influenced by ionic strength were studied by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS), fluorescence anisotropy, generalized polarization (GP), pH measurement, and visual observation. During this experiment, the temperature was set both constant and altering in time. The measurement was performed shortly after adding salts to the catanionic vesicles and in-time measurement was performed as well. This thesis follows a bachelor thesis, where the influence of NaCl on the same type of catanionic vesicles in the same range of ionic strength was studied. The CaCl2 and Na2SO4 influences were then compared to the NaCl according to Hofmeister series. By the DLS and ELS method it was found that the size of vesicles with added CaCl2 and Na2SO4 was decreasing at first and then increasing whereas the -potential was exponentially decreasing with increasing ionic strength. The vesicle size, when the ionic strength was applied, was increasing in time while -potential was almost constant in time. The addition of both salts caused slight dehydration of the external part of the membrane which was examined by the fluorescent probe Laurdan (6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylamino-naphthalene) and generalized polarization. By fluorescence anisotropy with the probe DPH (1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene), it was detected that both salts caused an increase of the fluidity of an inner part of a membrane. By both of the fluorescent techniques, it was confirmed that the increase in temperature caused a phase transition of the membrane from the solid ordered through the liquid ordered phase to the liquid disordered phase. The pH values also did not show any change with the addition of salts. When comparing the salts’ influence (CaCl2 and Na2SO4 versus NaCl) on catanionic vesicles it was found that in most cases NaCl influenced the observed properties the most. The addition of NaCl caused the largest increase in vesicle size, highest -potential values, initial dehydration of the external part of the membrane, and increased fluidity of the inner part of the membrane at I > 15 mM. These results are in agreement with the Hofmeister series. Based on the visual observation, the samples with ionic strength of more than 150 mM for CaCl2 and 75 mM for Na2SO4 were said to be unstable. This fact is in agreement with the result of ELS. The rest of the samples did not show any visual changes in time (28 days). Additionally, the influence of PBS buffer on catanionic vesicles at the same ionic strength values was studied. PBS buffer simulates the ionic environment of living organisms. Its' influence was characterized by the same methods under the same conditions as mentioned above. The effect of PBS on catanionic vesicles displayed almost the same behaviour in the observed properties. During this experiment, it was also found that the PBS influence on the studied properties was more significant than the influence of CaCl2, Na2SO4, and NaCl salts. Influence of PBS was most similar to the effect of NaCl on catanionic vesicles.
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Identification of changes in membrane properties of astrocytes in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Vaňátko, Ondřej ; Turečková, Jana (advisor) ; Vlachová, Viktorie (referee)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder of the central nervous system characterized by loss of motor neurons and voluntary muscle degeneration. Astrocytes play a major role in regulation of the disease onset and progression due to their intimate association with neurons. Regulation of ionic homeostasis is one of their key functions and its failure has been linked to several neurological diseases. The aim of this thesis was to explore differences in membrane properties of astrocytes in ALS. To fulfill this aim, a double transgenic mouse strain with ALS-like phenotype and a specific expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein in astrocytes was generated. To phenotype this strain, two sensorimotor tests, wire grid hang test and rotarod test, were conducted. Immunohistochemistry was used to characterize the strain on a cellular level and to explore changes of specific ion channels. Functional properties of astrocytes were explored using the patch clamp technique. The double transgenic strain has the characteristic ALS-like phenotype and is comparable to the original strain with differences in symptom onset and progression between models and sexes. On the cellular level, there are characteristic ALS features, specifically loss of motor neurons and astrogliosis....
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Membrane properties of NG2 glia in CNS
Knotek, Tomáš ; Anděrová, Miroslava (advisor) ; Hrčka Krausová, Barbora (referee)
NG2 glia represent a new type of glial cells in central nervous system, which does not belong to astrocytes, oligodendrocyte or microglia. and their most frequent marker is chondroitine sulphate proteoglycan NG2. These cells keep their proliferation ability in adult brain and it is generally accepted that they can differentiate into oligodendrocytes. This thesis summarize the current knowledge about membrane properties of NG2 glia, namely expression of numerous types of ion channels and ionotropic and metabotropic receptor on their membrane. NG2 glia express outwardly and inwardly rectifying K+ channels, Ca2+ activated K+ channels and two-pore domain K+ channels. Interestingly, they also express voltage gated Na+ channels, L, T, P/Q and N type Ca2+ channels and voltage gated Cl- channels. Furthermore, nonspecific cationic channels, such as HCN and TRP, were identified in NG2 glia and they express Na+ /Ca2+ exchanger at high level. There are also ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate and GABA receptors on NG2 glia membrane, together with nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, adrenergic and glycine receptors, metabotropic and ionotropic purinergic receptors, receptors for serotonine, dopamine and histamine. Ion channels and receptors in NG2 glia play an important role in their proliferation,...
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