Publication Date

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Committee Members

David R. Ladle, Ph.D. (Advisor); Patrick M. Sonner, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Gary L. Nieder, Ph.D. (Committee Member)

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Proprioception is an important sensation capable due to proprioceptive sensory neuron afferents found in muscles in the periphery being processed by the central nervous system. The nervous system is a complex system that continues to develop and mature as an animal ages. Much is not known of proprioceptive neurons and how they develop with time. Calcium is an important molecule in maintaining action potentials and homeostasis in neurons which can be studied to understand a variety of things about a neuron. This study uses genetically encoded calcium indicators to tag parvalbumin positive cells in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in order to image the calcium handling in these cells. Five parameters were measured across three time points to provide quantifiable results as to how calcium handling changes as mice age. We found that of the five parameters investigated, peak amplitude was the only significant difference between P5/6 and adult mice. There was a downward trend in the peak amplitude as the mice aged.

Page Count

35

Department or Program

Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology

Year Degree Awarded

2019


Included in

Anatomy Commons

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