The lens is a transparent organ at the front of the eye that transmits and focuses light onto the retina. The proliferative abilities of the cellular components of the lens contribute to its ability to grow throughout an individual’s life. The lens consists of two main cell types: epithelial cells and fiber cells. There is […]
A58: Alaskan Bee Populations
Pollinators are an increasingly important area of study, especially in agriculture where they are vital for crop production. Pollinator surveys are a practical way to assess the health and diversity of a population and its stability for future generations. In many places, studies like this are already commonplace and well-researched. However, in places like Alaska, […]
C17: A Comprehensive Study of Mouse Lens Epithelial Explant Development
The lens is a useful tissue to study development because it is very simple, and self-containing. The lens is made of only two cell types; epithelial cells, and fiber cells. The epithelial cells are cuboidal and aligned in a single row along the anterior edge of the lens and they mature into the long transparent […]
C42-P: Transcriptomic Analysis for the Whole Lens of PTEN Knockout Mice
Phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten) is a tumor suppressor gene that is knocked out or mutated in many cancers. Additionally, knocking out this gene in mice causes cataracts and other developmental issues with the lens. This project involves analyzing differential gene expression in the form of RNAseq data encompassing the entire transcriptome of the lens […]
A38-P: Determining the Role NKX6-1 Plays in Lens Fiber Cell Differentiation in Relation to PAX6 Expression
The role of NKX6-1 in the lens and its relationship with PAX6 in lens development is not well understood. However, data from other studies suggest that there is an antagonistic relationship between PAX6 and NKX6-1 in the development of the neural tube and the pancreas. Therefore, we hypothesize that at least part of the development […]