Date of Award
2016
Degree Name
Biological Sciences
College
College of Science
Type of Degree
M.S.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Nadja Spitzer
Second Advisor
Guo-Zhang Zhu
Third Advisor
Lawrence Grover
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are an emerging environmental contaminant with unique chemical and physical properties. They are utilized in products like medical dressings and children’s toys for their antimicrobial action. Though AgNP’s bioaccumulative nature and high-level toxicity are established, low-level effects from chronic exposure to AgNP-containing products and environmental AgNP remain unclear. This study uses adult neural stem cells, a model for neural cell function and neurodevelopment, to assess changes in cell differentiation and behavior following low-level AgNP exposure. In vitro, low-level AgNP produced dose- and timedependent formation of co-localized f-actin inclusions and β-catenin puncta. Neurite extension and arborization were also reduced, indicating that AgNP disrupt cytoskeleton dynamics and β- catenin signaling. In vivo, AgNP treatment caused accumulation and persistence of Ag in brains at levels comparable to in vitro studies without overt toxicity. Together, this indicates that lowlevel AgNP exposure from consumer products may impair normal brain function and neurodevelopment.
Subject(s)
Cells -- Morphology.
Cells -- Environmental aspects.
Recommended Citation
Cooper, Robert Jefferson, "Adult neural stem cell differentiation and signaling is disrupted by low-level silver nanoparticle exposure in vitro" (2016). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1014.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1014
