Publication Date
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Labib Rouhana, Ph.D. (Advisor); David Goldstein, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Scott Baird, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
The molecular processes underlying the control of external stimuli on development of the reproductive system remain to be understood. The Transient Receptor Potential superfamily of proteins (TRPs) consists of cation channels that respond to external stimuli and are abundant in the somatosensory as well as reproductive systems. Mammalian TRP-Melastatin 3 (TRPM3) channels are activated by heat and the neurosteroid pregnenolone. Here we characterize an ortholog of TRPM3 in the planarian flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea (Smed-TRPM3). Smed-TRPM3 was hypothesized to play a role in germline development due to enriched expression in the reproductive system of sexual planarians. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that Smed-TRPM3 is preferentially expressed in planarian testes and ovaries. Functional analysis by RNA interference (RNAi) revealed that Smed-TRPM3 promotes spermatogenesis, as sexual Smed-TRPM3(RNAi) planarians had fewer and less-developed testes compared to control knockdowns. Asexual Smed-TRPM3(RNAi) animals had fewer nanos+ clusters compared to controls which may indicate that the observed spermatogenesis defects are due to the loss of male germline stem cells. We hypothesize that Smed-TRPM3 responds to the hormone pregnenolone or close derivatives to ultimately regulate gonad development. Alternatively, Smed-TRPM3 may be regulating reproductive development in response to temperature.
Page Count
82
Department or Program
Department of Biological Sciences
Year Degree Awarded
2020
Copyright
Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
