The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Axon guided axon growth in DRG neurons from the spinal cord of rat embryos
Author:	Jain, Neha
View Online:	njit-etd2010-057 (x, 41 pages ~ 3.2 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Biomedical Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Biomedical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Pfister, Bryan J. (Committee chair) Perez-Castillejos, Raquel (Committee member) Collins, George (Committee member)
Date:	2010-05
Keywords:	Axon growth DRG neurons
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Early studies in the area of neuronal physiology and injury have shown that axons are guided by a number of physical as well as chemical cues. Although the guidance effect of initial axons and their processes on later axons has been shown from a development point of view, little light has been thrown on the subject from the injury point of view. This important ability of axons which plays a key role during development and formation of neuronal networks could become crucial in repairing damaged nerves and disrupted neuronal tracts. In the following study, the guidance effect of an older population of neurons on a younger population was studied using a specialized PDMS well. Embryonic DRGs derived from rats were used for the study and it was found that axons could be guided by other axons. The cues or the signaling mechanism responsible appeared to be contact dependent. However, more studies should be done in this direction to verify these results.