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dc.contributor.authorLuciotti, Maria
dc.date.accessioned2012-02-10T21:11:16Z
dc.date.available2012-02-10T21:11:16Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10713/922
dc.descriptionUniversity of Maryland in Baltimore. Molecular Medicine. M.S. 2010en_US
dc.description.abstractOsteoblasts are mesenchymal-derived cells within bone responsible for bone formation. During the highly regulated process of bone remodeling, osteoblasts are simultaneously activated in local areas undergoing the bone formative phase. Direct cell-to-cell communication between osteoblasts is facilitated by gap junctions, protein-based transcellular channels that allow the diffusion of ions and small signaling molecules. Osteocalcin is the most osteoblast specific gene whose promoter is positively regulated by the transcription factor Runx2, a master regulator of osteoblast differentiation. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling activates the phospholipase C (PLC) cascade resulting in inositol phosphate production, and the FGF2-dependent transcription of Runx2 that is mediated by protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ). The goal of this thesis is to investigate the role of the phospholipase C/inositol phosphate pathway in the Cx43-gap junction mediated amplification of cell responsiveness to FGF2 and to gain insight on the identity of the second messenger signaling molecule. We hypothesize that inositol phosphates are key second messengers that diffuse through gap junctions and mediate the synergistic activation of Runx2 transcription among gap junction coupled osteoblasts.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.subjectConnexin 43en_US
dc.subject.meshGap Junctionsen_US
dc.subject.meshOsteoblastsen_US
dc.titleThe role of the phospholipase C/inositol phosphate pathway in cell-cell communication between osteoblastsen_US
dc.typedissertationen_US
dc.contributor.advisorStains, Joseph P.
dc.identifier.ispublishedYesen_US
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